


The Moon and the Ocean

by VividestList



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, AtLA AU, Avatar Wei WuXian, F/M, I almost gave up because of the character tags alone, I haven’t finished rewatching atla because I was taking notes for this, I know I’m missing something, Inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, Jiang are waterbenders, M/M, My friends have overlapped me, Nie and Jin are earth, The Dai Li (Avatar), The Lan clan are airbenders, WWX and LWJ aren’t the moon and ocean spirits, Wei WuXian always livin his worst life, Wen Mao and Lan Yi are past avatars, Wen are fire, but like ba sing se vs omashu earth, flying bison or sky bison or wtvr, just to be clear, there's just some parallels
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:49:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 67,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24604966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VividestList/pseuds/VividestList
Summary: “Their spirit names are Tui and La, push and pull and that has been the nature of their relationship for all time. Tui and La, your moon and ocean have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other. Push and pull, life and death, good and evil, yin and yang.”When the last of the fire nation was destroyed, and the avatar had disappeared, the Lanling Jin family took the opportunity to restore order and lead the remaining nations, expected to have a new avatar to back them. Years have passed and no new avatar has been found, nor has the old returned, creating panic within the three remaining nations.Wei WuXian’s return is expected to rock the world to its very core and destroy those who conspired to destroy him. With the power of the four elements and evil methods, who could hope to stop him? Watchtowers and spies search for the avatar while the world waits for the final battle between good and evil and deaths that shall either bring peace or disaster.Through all the fear and uncertainty, Lan WangJi searches for an old friend, maintaining the hope that he may restore the balance lost in wars of the past.
Relationships: Jiāng Chéng | Jiāng Wǎnyín & Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn, Jiāng Yànlí/Jīn Zǐxuān, Lán Huàn | Lán Xīchén & Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī, Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Comments: 49
Kudos: 101





	1. Recovered

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically gonna be a rewrite of the novel+drama+animated series if it were atla... but... with conflicts and events happening in a way that would make more sense in an atla setting. I’m not good at summaries or explanations or that stuff, but I did take a lot of notes and my best! I put 15 for the chapters because I can’t stand writing long fics and would rather give an 8,000 word chapter than 20+ updates, although I don’t think it would come to that... anyway! thank you for reading and I hope you like it!

Wei Wuxian saw his fall over and over again. He saw the last firebenders, along with Wen Qing and Wen Ning march off to their death as he lay paralyzed over and over again. The fog made it so that Wen Qing and Wen Ning thanked him and walked into the mist once, twice, thrice— an infinite number of times.

What he hadn't seen in the infinite amount of time he had been there was Lan Zhan. Lan Zhan was a bittersweet memory, but maybe he was becoming more bitter for him to have appeared in his own personal hell. 

“Lan Zhan, I’m sorry,” he apologized to the hallucination. Hanguang-Jun was the only person from his old life who didn’t try to manipulate him; that didn’t try to kill him; that didn’t throw himself at his feet, or change in the slightest when Wei Wuxian had finally began to show promise as the avatar and had become someone the world worshipped and feared. 

In his heart, he didn’t know if he apologized for his past wrongdoings, the bloodbending, or simply because he had let his memory become tainted. Still, when the man held out his hand, Wei Wuxian hesitated in taking it. “Ah, no thanks, Lan Zhan. There’s nothing that way. There’s nothing any way, so there’s no need to waste my energy.”

“Come with me,” he said. 

Wei Wuxian gave him a tight smile, but nodded, and took his hand, anyway. “What else did I do wrong?” He asked as Lan Wangji pulled him through the mist. 

Lan Wangji remained quiet, only sparing him a glance. 

“Oh! I know! I got you punished with me. No? I disobeyed the air nomads’ rules! Why won’t you just tell me what I did wrong, and go away?”

“You disappeared,” he finally responded. 

Wei Wuxian pouted. “Hey, that’s not fair, I didn’t mean to. I don’t even know how I got here. Huh?” Wei Wuxian looked around him to find that the fog had finally disappeared and a way out was visible.

Passing through the arch, Wei Wuxian was blinded by the brightness of the sun. He looked down to avoid the light, to find Lan Wangji looking up at him with the same indifferent look he always wore sitting in a meditative posture. 

“Lan Zhan! You’re real!” He cried out, taking the man’s face in his hand and turning it to inspect every feature. He couldn’t possibly be real, he thought. The real Lan Zhan would have pushed him away by now. He considered the idea for a moment, before a mischievous smile spread on his lips. “You  _ are _ real, aren’t you, Hanguang-Jun? Because if you’re not, I’m going to take your forehead ribbon.” 

The man only continued to look up at him, so Wei Wuxian slowly reached a hand out to take the ribbon. He could feel his heart drop the closer he got without Lan Wangji pulling away. Neither a smile, nor the light in his eyes remained as he grazed the ribbon. His hand didn’t move any further to take it and dropped to his side, his eyes shifting down to the earth beneath his feet. He let out a breath of bitter laughter, feeling his eyes begin to sting. 

“Wei Ying, we have to go..” Lan Wangji stood, and began to walk away and back into the woods that surrounded them.

“Where are we?” He asked, following closely behind Lan Wangji.

“A spiritual place.”

“I didn’t know that one existed here.” 

Lan Wangji remained quiet for a long time as he walked. 

“A new avatar was never born. They know you are still alive. There are benders guarding every other place and temple..” 

“So you found a new one… How long… have I been away?” 

“Over a decade.” 

“What? That can’t be true! Lan Zhan, you don’t look like you've changed a bit,” he teased. Lan Wangji only spared him a glance before he continued walking. “Even if this is another hallucination, I’m glad it was Lan Zhan this time. Lan Zhan was the only one who has always stayed the same.” 

Wei Wuxian smiled up at Lan Wangji, his steps slowing as he remembered the first time he had been met by Lan Wangji and his stark white clothing as pale as the clouds that hid their temple. 

_ Wei Wuxian was running through Lotus Pier with Jiang Cheng chasing behind him, sending bouts of water at him that Wei Wuxian would dodge and duck to avoid. It had started off as a serious spar, but had quickly dissolved into the kind of water fight waterbending children would play. The other disciples had fled for cover near the beginning of their sparring, and had not reappeared since. _

_ By the time Jiang Cheng had gotten close enough that Wei Wuxian was forced to redirect the water instead of dodge it, no surface around their training ground was left dry.  _

_ He took the water that came rushing at him and made it his own, a small, flowing stream rushing between his hands. “Ah, c’mon, Jiang Cheng, no need to become so angry. I could’ve been seriously hurt!” He whined, unable to hide the small smile on his lips.  _

_ “You!” Jiang Cheng was at a loss for words for a moment. “I’d first believe the lakes and rivers would run dry before I’d believe I could do serious harm to you!”  _

_ “You give me too much credit, I’m fragile,” he pouted, spotting Jiang Yanli coming towards them with a plate of watermelon.  _

_ “Shijie! Shijie! Protect me! Jiang Cheng has gone crazy and is attacking!” He cried out, releasing the water under his control and running to hide behind her.  _

_ “How old are you?! Hiding behind our sister! She isn’t even big enough to hide you completely!”  _

_ “I’m still little!” Wei WuXian pouted, earning a laugh from Jiang YanLi and a tsk from Jiang Cheng.  _

_ “A-Xian,” he heard from behind them. They all turned to find Jiang FengMian looking directly at Wei Wuxian with a serious expression on his face.  _

_ “Uncle Jiang!” he cried out, giving him a small bow before he ran over.  _

_ “Come with me.” He instructed, and Jiang Cheng was just about to follow, when his father shook his head.  _

_ “I need to speak to a-Xian alone.”  _

_ Wei WuXian saw the hurt look that flashed through his eyes as he turned his gaze to Wei WuXian, who shrugged to show that he knew as little of what this was about as he did. They both turned to leave, and proceeded through the halls in silence. Jiang FengMian sat on the nine petal lotus throne, and Wei WuXian stood before him, growing increasingly nervous.  _

_ What would Uncle Jiang have to say that he could only say to him and not Jiang Cheng?  _

_ “A-Xian, I need you to pack your things. I’m going to be sending you to the cloud recesses.” _

_ Wei WuXian began to laugh. “Uncle, I’m not an airbender and I don’t know who would want to have to live with those stuffy monks and their million rules,” he scrunched up his nose in distaste.  _

_ “They have important information for you.” _

_ “What could the air nomads want from me?”  _

_ “A-Xian...you are the avatar. Your responsibility is now to master the elements and maintain balance.” _

_ “Well, then, if that’s the case I need to learn earth and fire first! Air is last!” _

_ “And you are so willing to learn alongside the Jin and Wen?” The man asked, making Wei WuXian hesitate.  _

_ “The Nie family and… the Wen,” he negotiated.  _

_ Jiang Fengmian shook his head. “We cannot insult the Jin family in such a way. Remember that a-Li is engaged to Jin Zixuan. If you were to study under the Nie family instead it would be seen as a slight and underestimation of their ability.” _

_ “Tell them it was my choice. Nie MingJue has even created metal bending. Can they even claim to be better teachers?” Wei WuXian argued. For a moment, Jiang FengMian was silent as if considering this. Everyone knew that the Unclean Realm was where the most powerful earth benders resided, with Nie MingJue at the top of the list.  _

_ “You will be traveling to the Cloud Recesses first, not to train, but for a vision Lan XiChen has had that is of the utmost urgency for you to know. From there, you shall head to the earthbending capital at Koi Tower to begin your training. You still represent our family, a-Xian. Please behave under the instruction of the Jin Earth Kingdom,” the man said, his tone final as he stood to leave the room, but stopped. In the entrance stood Jiang Cheng and Madame Yu.  _

_ Both he and Uncle Jiang froze at the sight. He knew it was inevitable that Jiang Cheng would find out, but he hadn’t thought of a way to ease Jiang Cheng into the truth, and now Madame Yu was standing alongside him to stoke the flames.  _

_ “Of course Wei WuXian had to be the avatar! Being a simple bender wouldn’t be good enough for someone like him. You’ll never catch up to him now Jiang Cheng, not like you could before-“ _

_ “This isn’t something he chose, my lady! It was decided by destiny!” Jiang FengMian defended. _

_ “But  _ you _ were the one that chose him over your own son! Even destiny knew that the son of that Cangse Sanren was better than the son I gave you.” She took long, quick strides up to Wei Wuxian until she was right in front of him. “Listen to me, Wei Ying. You will not cause trouble for the Jin family. Your selfishness and arrogance will not stand in the way of a-Li’s marriage. If not for the sake of a-Li’s happiness, then because you owe my family for picking you up off the streets!”  _

_ Madame Yu didn’t give him time to respond before she spun on her heel and left the room.  _

_ Wei WuXian looked from where Madame Yu had departed to Jiang Cheng who looked betrayed. “You’re the avatar, then?” he asked.  _

_ Wei WuXian pursed his lips, and gave a small nod.  _

_ Jiang Cheng immediately left the room upon seeing his response. He turned to look at Jiang Fengmian, who looked like he had the beginnings of a headache before he quickly ran after his brother, calling for him as he did. “Jiang Cheng! Jiang Cheng, stop! Hey! I’m talking to you! Are you trying to fight?!” _

_ When he finally got close enough, he grabbed his arm, only for Jiang Cheng to snatch it away. “Why is it always you?! As if it weren’t good enough for you to be the best waterbender here, you had to go and be the avatar! If my dad knew this whole time, then there was never any chance of me catching up to you in his affection. Who could be better than the avatar?” He asked, shoving Wei WuXian backwards.  _

_ “I didn’t choose this! I didn’t want this! I wanted to stay here with you and shijie and mess around without a worry, but now I have to go to the Cloud Recesses, and Koi Tower, and the Nightless City! Does any of that sound like luck or a blessing to you?” Wei WuXian tried to joke. _

_ “It should be an honor,” Jiang Cheng responded, before letting out a laugh, his tense stance relaxing. “But you really are fucked.”  _

_ Wei WuXian made a face. “And I don’t know why you’re so upset. Now that I’m gone you get to be the best waterbender and I’m expected to be the best  _ everything.  _ Do you know how much trouble that’s going to be for me? I only ever sit around and eat lotus seeds and hunt pheasants, but now I’m expected to work.”  _

_ Jiang Cheng nodded in agreement. “I suppose this counts as your punishment-“ _

_ “Eh? Punishment for what? I’m a good person!”  _

_ “When do you leave?” Jiang Cheng asked, and Wei WuXian could see a determined look in his eyes.  _

_ He could feel a grin spreading on his face. “Are you coming with me?”  _

_ “Who’s gonna let you run around on your own? You’ll only cause problems. Avatar or not, someone needs to watch you,” Jiang Cheng scolded. Wei WuXian couldn’t even be offended, happy to have someone with him to cause trouble.  _

**_————_ **

_ That next morning they had set off with clear instructions to make their way to the Cloud Recesses with no delay or detours and with enough food pushed into their arms by Jiang YanLi to feed a small army for a week. Their boat would take them to the port of Moling, where they would have to walk the rest of the way to the air temples. All in all it was roughly a week-long journey, but Wei WuXian quietly wished it would drag on longer. The faster he was on this path, the faster every other would be closed off to him.  _

_ The thought was both scary, and not. He was confident in himself, but at the same time… it was a whole world that would look to him. He didn’t know what day it was that he started to fall behind Jiang Cheng, and he didn’t think his brother knew, either. He seemed so caught up in his own excitement that he didn’t sense Wei WuXian’s silent doubts and dread. The closer they got to the Cloud Recesses, the more Wei WuXian wanted to enjoy the life he still had. He convinced himself that there was still time. They were even ahead of schedule! Surely, he could take one small detour, he thought. Eyes roaming to take in the possibilities. _

**——————**

_ Their arrival at the Cloud Recesses was anticipated by the airbenders. Several other students, along with Lan XiChen and Lan QiRen were waiting for them at the entrance of the temple. _

_ “My name is Jiang Cheng, son of the chief of Lotus Pier and this is my brother, the avatar,” Jiang Cheng bowed once he had reached the top of the steps, then signalled to his side.  _

_ Lan Xichen drew his brows together in confusion, and Jiang Cheng looked to the side to see that Wei WuXian was no longer beside him. He could feel himself turn red in anger as he spun around. “Wei WuXian! Do you want to die?! Where the hell are you?” He yelled back into the mountains, but didn’t even get that mischievous laughter as a response. “That brother of mine,” he scoffed, turning back to the two airbending masters and bowing once again. “I’ll find him right away.”  _

_ “There is no need. We shall wait for him here. What would we do if he were to appear while you were out looking for him? I would have to go find you and what if you returned while I was looking for you?” Lan XiChen soothed. “Come, we shall prepare a room for you and some food. When the avatar returns we shall tell him about the prophecy and my brother’s vision.”  _

_ Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian had gotten away as they approached the air temple, spotting a pheasant and following it until he was far from the path they had to follow, but had managed to catch the sneaky bird for a meal. The airbenders were vegetarian after all, and he wasn’t going to give up meat until they could leave the Cloud Recesses. Besides, they had arrived much earlier than they were supposed to, so that meant he had time to spare!  _

_ He ate, wrapped up what remained for Jiang Cheng, and soon after fell asleep against a tree. When he woke up again, it was night. He looked around himself to make sure all his belongings were still intact, then he stood, buried his now extinguished remnants of a fire, and decided that it was best to head to the air temple. At least if it was on the same day, Jiang Cheng wouldn’t be too annoyed. But he still liked him teetering on the edge, he thought with a laugh. _

_ High mountains surrounded the temples, but upon the highest one the Cloud Recesses were built… unfortunately. He whined and groaned, but began to make his way up the mountain.  _ What a pain!  _ he thought to himself.  _ Who would go through so much trouble to get to a place with a billion rules and no meat if they didn’t need to? Those two things alone would have kept people away, they didn’t have to put their temple on a high ass mountain! Oh! to be an airbender and get to the top with a few jumps!

_ When Wei WuXian finally got to the top, the first thing his eyes met was a beautiful person dressed in pure white standing there, as if waiting for him. If the moon wasn’t full in the sky he would have thought he was the spirit of the moon itself having come down. Wei WuXian bowed.  _

_ “My name is Wei Ying, courtesy name WuXian. I am a waterbender from Lotus Pier.”  _

_ “Entrance to the Cloud Recesses is forbidden after nightfall,” the boy, hardly older than him, said. _

_ His entire polite act dropped immediately. “I climbed all the way up those stairs! If I didn’t have to, I would have been here before nightfall,” he lied.  _

_ “Entrance to the Cloud Recesses is forbidden after nightfall,” the airbender repeated.  _

_ “If I go down those stairs again, I’m never coming back,” he threatened, not fazing the other teen. “Just let me in. I know my brother is here, too! Just this one time. How was I supposed to know about this rule? It’s not fair,” he whined.  _

_ Again, he repeated the same phrase. Wei Wuxian huffed, before a thought occurred to him.  _

_ “Ah, I suppose rules are rules,” he said, nonchalantly. “I guess I’ll have to find somewhere to camp until morning. Thank you for everything.”  _

_ He backed away, arms behind his back before wandering into the forest that surrounded the high walls of the temple. When he was sure he was out of sight, he ran as quickly as he could around the wall to the side opposite the guarded entrance and began to scale it. Just as he threw a leg over the top and into the other side, a strong gust of wind was sent his way. He quickly threw himself the rest of the way into the Cloud Recesses to dodge the attack, and stood.  _

_ The same person as before was steadily approaching him, face still neutral.  _

_ “Come on! I’m already inside! I didn’t even want to come here, I was told to!” The boy sent another burst of air towards him, Wei WuXian pulled a large mass of water towards him from the pond a few feet away and froze it, creating a barrier between himself and the harsh winds. He’d never sparred with an airbender.. he thought before a smile spread on his face.  _ This would make for an entertaining opportunity! _ He thought, changing from the defensive to the offensive and watching the airbender switch from offensive to defensive.  _

_ Wei Wuxian encircled himself in an everflowing ring of water, sending bursts of ice from the same body of water hurtling at the other. The airbender dodged with ease, and Wei Wuxian changed his attack to send the entirety of the water rushing at the other boy. A burst of wind cut through the attack and headed straight for Wei Wuxian, who had to release the water under his control and jump away.  _

_ “Ah! Okay! Okay! I surrender,” he said, raising his hands.  _

_ The other looked skeptical but made to walk towards Wei Wuxian. But his feet wouldn’t move. He looked down to find them encased in ice from the same water Wei WuXian had ‘been forced’ to release when he had sent his attack.  _

_ Wei WuXian laughed happily, causing the other to look up. “I got you! I got you!” He cheered childishly, running up to the airbender. “Honestly, you should know better, but I guess you’ve never fought a waterbender,” he sighed. “I guess that’s what happens when you live your whole life on a mountain.” His face suddenly lit up, and he put his hands on the other’s shoulders. “You should come to Lotus Pier! I could teach you how to block against waterbending attacks! Not mine, though. I’m pretty good, I don’t think you’d be able to win against a waterbender at my level.” _

_ “Release me,” the airbender responded, completely uninterested in Wei WuXian’s invitation.  _

_ “Hey, c’mon! I’m being nice to you, since we’re friends now! I’ll even let you into Lotus Pier after dark,” he said with a laugh.  _

_ “Return the water to the pond, you’ll kill the koi.”  _

_ Wei WuXian’s laughter ceased at that. He looked around to see the shimmering scales of the fish reflecting the moonlight at the bottom of the empty ponds, and panicked. He manipulated the water back where he had found it and bowed in apology to the body of water. “Please forgive me, I didn’t mean to steal your home.”  _

_ “Wei WuXian!” He heard his brother call and turned to see him marching over to him along with two airbending masters. He quickly melted the water to release the airbender he had been fighting, and turned to bow to the men. _

_ “My name is Wei Ying, courtesy name WuXian.” _

_ When he straightened, he hesitated to meet the gaze of the two masters. The first thing they had told him was not to cause trouble. If Uncle Jiang found out he did it on the first night… A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, snapping his attention up to a man who looked nearly identical to the boy he had been fighting, except this one had a gentle smile. Still, he searched for the other boy to make sure this wasn't the same one. _

_ “Welcome, Avatar Wei Wuxian. I am Lan XiChen, and this is my uncle, Lan Qiren. I see you have already met Wangji,” Lan XiChen said, a bright smile directed at the boy that now stood beside him. He looked around, finding ice shards lodged in trees and the ground, and Wei WuXian saw his uncle do the same. His smile became hesitant, but never left. _

_ Wei WuXian laughed awkwardly before giving a small bow, and melting the ice and returning it to the pond. _

_ “The avatar arrived past nightfall. I told him he was not allowed in, yet he scaled the wall and came in, regardless,” Lan WangJi explained, still expressionless.  _

_ Wei WuXian made a face at him, then winced when he heard the older man begin to speak, his face nearly red with anger. _

_ “Just because you are the avatar does not give you the right to act in such an entitled manner. Wangji was right to enforce the rules,” Lan Qiren scolded.  _

_ Just as Wei WuXian was going to defend himself and once again say he wasn’t familiar with the rules, Jiang Cheng cut in. “Forgive my brother. He has acted this way long before he was told he was the avatar.” _

_ “Whatever the case may be, that the avatar made it here is what matters. There is a war coming that you should know of. It is dark now, and your journey has been long. WangJi will show you where you shall be staying.” _

_ “And tomorrow you shall be punished for breaking the rules of our home,” Lan Qiren added, turning and departing with a huff.  _

_ He really didn’t like the Cloud Recesses, Wei WuXian decided, following Lan WangJi who had begun walking without any instructions for him to begin to follow. Lan Xichen gave him a small smile, and left. Jiang Cheng did the same, but not before shaking his head at him and giving him a mean glare. Wei WuXian stuck his tongue out at him, then ran to catch up to Lan WangJi.  _

_ Lan… he heard that surname before. Lan… Lan… Lan Yi! And this was Lan Zhan!  _

_ “I just remembered! I’ve heard about you,” Wei WuXian said. “You’re a really good airbender! Why didn’t you spar me seriously? Are you going to teach me airbending when it’s time for me to learn? Are you ignoring me? Lan Wangji! Second Master Lan! Lan Zhan!” Lan WangJi came to an abrupt stop and turned to face Wei WuXian with a glare.  _

_ Wei WuXian pouted, avoiding his gaze. “I was just trying to get your attention. You can't be mad at me when you were the one that was ignoring me. Besides, you can call me Wei Ying so that we’re even! And just so you know, that’s a full moon up there. I wasn’t sparing seriously, either.” He said, trading his false pout for a teasing smile.  _

_ Lan Wangji flipped his sleeve, and began walking again.  _

_ “You’re the grandson of an avatar, aren't you? Avatar Lan Yi! I learned a bit about her. She was more… aggressive in her airbending. Oh! That’s right! You believe fighting is a last resort! Is that why you didn’t want to spar seriously with me? It doesn’t count if it’s a friendly spar, I’m sure, so next time give it your all, okay?” He said, running in front of Lan WangJi and giving him a bright grin.  _

_ “This is where you shall be staying,” Lan WangJi said, turning away. Wei WuXian looked beside him to find a building of black wood and white walls. It was plain, but it wasn’t like he expected anything special about the buildings here, after all, the airbenders were practically monks. He stepped in, finding the bare minimum of essentials required, along with incense, a teapot and cup that sat on a table as small luxuries. It was too early to sleep, but before he knew what punishment he was getting tomorrow, he wouldn’t cause any more trouble tonight. Besides, he was almost completely sure Lan Zhan had gone to bed, too and he was the one he most wanted to bother. Maybe he would see him tomorrow.  _

**——————**

_ The next morning, he was pulled out of bed at an ungodly hour by his already angry brother. Or… still angry? He wasn’t sure. His clothes and shoes were thrown at him as Jiang Cheng waited for him to dress, then they both ran out of his room and to a common area at the center of the Cloud Recesses. There, Lan Qiren stood. “No running within the Cloud Recesses.” Wei WuXian let out a groan. It couldn’t have been Lan XiChen? They bowed and Lan QiRen turned without a word and led them into the temple… where he began to talk… and talk… and talk. All of it rules.  _ No gossiping. No drinking. No killing within the Cloud Recesses. No eating more than three plates. No smirking. No...

_ Wei WuXian had ended up trailing far behind Lan QiRen who had begun talking hours ago and had never stopped. Not far enough to be suspicious, but far enough for his voice to become background noise. None of this was important, anyway. Ahead of him, Jiang Cheng paid close attention to his every word. He trusted that meant he would summarize the important parts afterwards and at least look to or for him when the actual important information came up. For now, Wei Wuxian was content enjoying the scenery. They had made it through temples, and back outside where some airbenders were meditating, led by Lan WangJi. He was absolutely sure they had been out there as long as he had, maybe even longer. _

_ He couldn’t see much of the Cloud Recesses at night, but now— he felt as if this place was built within the heavens themselves. The whites were pure and untainted, and the scenery was serene. The clouds loomed so near them that Wei WuXian felt he could simply stretch and touch one. He stopped at that thought. _

They were water weren’t they?  _ He thought mischievously. He stopped, falling further behind the two, and pulled the clouds, thickening the moisture as he drew them closer, weaving them until they were too heavy to remain in the sky and, to his immense joy, it began to pour.  _

_ He laughed in delight, watching as the younger airbenders that were meditating hurried for cover, and stretched his arms out to enjoy the water. He’d never been high enough to have the opportunity to try this, and that he could at all was exciting. He looked back down from the sky to see Lan Wangji still seated where he began, watching him, and smiled and waved at him. “The rain came out of nowhere, didn’t it, Lan Zhan?”  _

_ “Wei WuXian!” He heard his brother yell from in front of him before he ran away laughing. _

Wei WuXian laughed a little at the memory, catching Lan Wangji’s attention. “We’re so high up, Lan Zhan. Do you think it’ll rain?” He asked with a smile. 

He thought he saw the corner of Lan WangJi’s lips tug upwards, but he might have been wrong. 


	2. Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am almost totally sure I remember proofreading and editing this yesterday at 4 am... Anyway! I would update faster, but like all my coworkers got injured this week and i had to cover shifts :/. I also dropped the biggest fire extinguisher on my foot at work, but I missed out on that sweet workers comp because my stupid foot hardly bruised and I didn’t even break any toes 🙄. Wack.   
> Thank you for reading and commenting and Kudos and stuff :D!

Lan WangJi had picked up Wei WuXian and jumped down from the mountain much more swiftly than they could have made it down just walking. Wei WuXian knew the feeling in his chest was from the drop straight down every time Lan Zhan jumped. He told himself it was from the jump because… it couldn’t be from anything else, but the way down wasn’t what mattered. What was Lan WangJi planning to do when they got off the mountain? If he was looking for him, if he was willing to bring him back, why? He knew the other nations were not going to appreciate him coming back if they were willing to guard every other place that might allow him to leave or enter the spirit world. 

If Lan Zhan was associated with him, then what would happen?

“Lan Zhan! Lan Zhan, wait!” Lan Wangji stopped as soon as the command was spoken, still carrying Wei WuXian. “What are you doing? I know… you feel a duty to the avatar because of your family, but you should leave me alone. Towards the end… I don’t want people to think bad of Lan Zhan because of me. I’ll be okay now,” He said, pushing away from Lan WangJi’s hold, but Lan WangJi only tightened his grip. 

“Taking you to the Cloud Recesses to teach you airbending,” Lan WangJi responds.

“There’s no point anymore, Lan Zhan. Besides, you’ll only get in trouble. You shouldn’t risk yourself for me,” he says, giving him a tight smile. “They were right, anyway. I’m a terrible avatar. Immoral, arrogant-“

“They weren’t,” Lan WangJi interrupted. “You weren’t done.” 

“Air isn’t going to make a difference, Lan Zhan.” 

I can’t even go into the avatar state anymore, Wei WuXian didn’t say. He can’t say he regrets it. He helped Jiang Cheng, he protected the firebenders- at least… for a bit. Once he started, he couldn’t go back. Bloodbending was bloodbending, whether it was to restore Jiang Cheng’s bending, to escape the prison he had been trapped in, or to fight off the army of benders that came for them. His mind and spirit had been tainted and he had severed his path to the avatar state. The bloodbending was the only way he could defend them. It was the only way he could absolutely stop so many people at once after the path was destroyed. He only had one path left to walk and, in the end, it was all for nothing. It hurt as much as it helped, and it corrupted infinitely. 

“You still need to master air,” Lan WangJi responded stubbornly, and it made Wei WuXian incredibly angry. He forced himself out of Lan WangJi’s grip, dropping back to the ground.

If only things were that simple! If only he was respected and trusted by everyone like Lan Zhan! 

“And then what?!” Wei WuXian shouted back, tears in his eyes. “It won’t bring back Madame Yu, or shijie, or Uncle Jiang! It won’t make Jiang Cheng stop hating me and it won’t make anyone think I’m worth being called the avatar. It won’t erase anything I’ve done!” There was nothing to fix this! He might as well have stayed in the spirit world to be driven mad and rot. The world didn’t need him anymore. It needed a new avatar. One it could trust. It’s why he had finally faced the three nations so recklessly. There was no other way to help. Now? Would he turn himself in, too? Or would he throw himself off the mountain as soon as Lan WangJi left and continue the cycle? He shook his head, and began to walk away from Lan WangJi.

“The spirits had a purpose for you,” Lan WangJi assured him.

“They wanted me to suffer,” Wei WuXian grumbled. 

“They let me take you out.” 

“Maybe Lan Zhan is just that powerful,” Wei WuXian said, spinning around. “Maybe Lan Zhan is just that polite!” Wei WuXian laughed, but the joy didn’t reach his eyes. “I can’t believe you, Hanguang-Jun. You know who I am, you know what I’m capable of, yet you brought me back to this world and held me in your arms like a defenseless maiden. I could really hurt you.”

“Wei Ying does not intentionally hurt people who don’t deserve it,” Lan WangJi responded, and took a step closer to Wei WuXian. 

“You think people can deserve it, Lan Zhan? I copied the teachings and rules of your temples three times over, and none of them said anyone could ever deserve being killed.” 

“Neither did the remaining firebenders.” Wei WuXian froze at that. 

This was an opinion wildly unpopular among the remaining nations before, and Lan Zhan had said it so casually, so honestly. 

They  _ didn’t _ deserve to die. A whole culture was wiped out so decisively and cruelly because of the sins of others. Men, women, children… a-Yuan. His eyes began to tear up at the thought. He couldn’t find the words to say. He had destroyed himself to maintain balance and justice, but, in the end, that balance is so fragile and justice changes from eye to eye. 

“Wei Ying,” Lan WangJi said, pulling him out of his thoughts. “We have to go.” 

What could be so different this time? What could he possibly change this time that would make a difference? At least Lan Zhan was on his side this time, he thought. 

Wei WuXian whined, taking up a less serious tone. “I just came back from the abyss, Lan Zhan. Have some sympathy; buy me food and alcohol.” 

Lan WangJi regarded him for a moment, then nodded. “There is a village nearby.” 

Wei WuXian hummed, then ran in front of Lan WangJi, beginning to walk backwards. “Where are we? Whose territory? Not like it matters, they all want me dead, but I’d like to know who will be hosting us.” 

“Jin GuangYao. Earth Kingdom,” Lan WangJi responded. 

“Are we near Koi Tower?” 

“A small village on the outskirts of the capital.” 

“Did you bring Bichen?” Wei WuXian asked excitedly. “Can I see him?” 

Lan WangJi didn’t respond, only picked him up and made the rest of the way down the mountain, releasing Wei WuXian as soon as he did. It didn’t take long for Wei WuXian to spot the gigantic, furry beast. He left Lan WangJi’s side running and threw himself at the flying bison’s leg, hugging as much as he could get his arms around. “You got so fat!” He laughed, continuing to hug its leg as BiChen turned and licked him, making Wei WuXian smile brighter. “Lan Zhan pretends he’s cold, but he’s a big softie. He spoiled you too much! How do you even get in the air! I really envy you, you know? Not many people get to know what it’s like to be spoiled by our HanGuang-Jun. I’m just as cute as you, so what makes him spoil you and not me?” He turned to Lan WangJi who was standing off to the side and smiled at him. “Do you think he missed me?” 

“Yes,” Lan WangJi answered, catching Wei WuXian off guard for a moment before he laughed again and turned back to BiChen. 

“Do you see that? He found me just for you!” 

“You were hungry,” Lan WangJi reminded him after he had pet and fussed over BiChen for a few minutes. 

Wei WuXian pulled away from the animal with a pout that didn’t stay for long. “I’ll convince Lan Zhan to bring you back a bushel of apples,” he conspired before pulling away. “We’ll be back, okay?” 

They walked into the village in a comfortable silence, Wei WuXian’s smile never leaving. “Do you remember when I first met BiChen, Lan Zhan?” 

_ Wei WuXian had run as far from the temples as he could and ran to the back hills, only stopping when he was sure no one had followed him. He had spun around, keeping an eye out and walked backwards until his back hit a sturdy surface. A loud roar sounded behind him, and he immediately spun back around to see a fluffy, white, horned creature. It easily stood taller than Wei WuXian, and was roughly three times as long. Wei WiXian stared in wonder. He knew they existed, but he had never seen a flying bison up close!  _

_ Wei WuXian tentatively reached a hand out to pet it, a bright smile overcoming his features when the creature met his hand with its nose. As soon as it gave him the okay, he began to pet the creature, rubbing its cheeks and praising it for simply existing, continuing as he moved off to the side and began to scratch at its side until it flopped onto its back and he began to rub its tummy. He looked up to notice a whole hoard of sky bison surrounding him ranging from different sizes, some floating in the sky beside the mountain, some eating the grass on the fields. Wei WuXian laughed in wonder at the sight, his hands stilling as he looked all around him. _

_ He heard footsteps and turned to smile at Lan WangJi who was coming towards him.  _

_ “Lan Zhan! Look at what a good boy he is! Do you know his name?” He asked, resuming his affection.  _

_ “BiChen.” _

_ “BiChen… this one’s yours isn’t it Lan Zhan?”  _

_ “You’ve broken several rules, Wei Ying.” _

_ Wei WuXian pouted. “I don’t know your rules.”  _

_ “Uncle was going over them with you, but if you do not like such a method of learning, your punishment is still needed. You shall copy the rules three times.”  _

_ Wei WuXian scoffed, turning away from the bison that groaned at the lack of attention. “That’s three thousand rules! You want me to write down nine thousand rules?! I thought I came here for something important!”  _

_ “Discipline is also a quality the avatar must possess. Come.” Wei WuXian whined, but followed Lan WangJi, waving goodbye to BiChen. “I thought I was here to hear about your brother’s vision. Isn’t there a war coming? Shouldn’t I be getting ready?” _

_ “You arrived early. The vision will be known to you the day of the solstice.” _

_ Lan WangJi dragged him to a library filled to the brim with books and sat down across from another table that Wei WuXian was sure he was supposed to occupy. “The solstice is in three days! You can’t honestly believe I can copy the rules three times by then!” _

_ “Get started; it can be done,” Lan Zhan said, turning his attention to his own book.  _

_ “And you’re gonna stay here and watch me do it? Are you a sadist? This is too cruel. I won’t come back. I definitely won’t, who even needs to be an airbender,” Wei WuXian grumbled, beginning to copy the rules from the neverending scroll left on the table.  _

***********

_ The punishment went on for two days with Wei WuXian always being dismissed an hour before curfew, and being brought down to the Library Pavilion at 5 in the morning. He talked incessantly as he did, about Yunmeng, waterbending, Lotus Seeds, his family, his punishments in Lotus Pier, and here and there he threw in shocking stories about a love life that he had made up to get a reaction out of Lan WangJi. He was sure the man wasn’t listening to a word he said, his eyes never leaving his book and his expressions never changing. It was boring, but he didn’t stop. If he was being punished, then Lan Zhan should suffer, too. He could go all day! He had sixteen years worth of life, after all.  _

_ He didn’t know what Jiang Cheng had been up to in all that time, but he was always waiting for him right after he was freed and would go down with him to a stream where Wei WuXian would soothe his aching hand. The final night he was sure he was going to stay in the Cloud Recesses, he decided he could sneak out and down to the town. After all that, he deserved a drink, and if he had to face those stairs, at least his legs would match his sore hand.  _

_ He had copied the rules enough to know that alcohol in the Cloud Recesses would get him in even more trouble, and he wasn’t sure how easily he could sneak back in with two jars of it, so he drank to his heart’s content in town, then stumbled his was back up the mountain and to the Cloud Recesses.  _

_ He thought he had gotten away with being out past curfew when he had made it onto the wall surrounding the temples, but dropped his head and groaned when he heard something lightly land beside him.  _

_ “Leaving or entering the Cloud Recesses while it is dark out is forbidden. You have broken curfew.”  _

_ “Lan Zhan,” Wei WuXian whined, taking a step closer to the airbender. “It’s my last night here. What does it matter? Can’t you let me get away with it this time? What are you gonna do? Make me stay in the Cloud Recesses to copy Conduct instead of mastering the elements? I’ll go straight to bed!” He pleaded, but Lan WangJi didn’t waver. He took a step closer to him, making Wei WuXian take a step back. They continued like that for a few steps before an idea occurred to Wei WuXian. _

_ He broke out into a sprint, running along the walls long enough for both him and Lan WangJi to build up a decent speed, then abruptly spun, and tackled Lan WangJi before the man caught on and tried to move away. They were both sent toppling over the wall and out of the Cloud Recesses, effectively breaking curfew.  _

_ Lan WangJi at least managed to soften their fall by bending the air beneath them and standing them up, Wei WuXian’s arms still around his middle.  _

_ He released him and jumped back, a smile on his face. “There! Now, you’ve broken curfew, too! But don’t worry, Lan Zhan! I won’t tell if you won’t, okay?”  _

_ Lan WangJi looked like he was barely restraining himself from pushing Wei WuXian off the side of the mountain, and his smile slowly turned to a grimace the longer he was under the other’s attention. “I’ll just go to bed,” he mumbled, hauling himself onto and over the wall and heading to his room.  _

**——————**

_ The next morning, when Wei WuXian followed Lan Zhan, he led him down a different path. Waiting in the courtyard were a group of elders.. “Lan Zhan, what-“ he was pushed down, forced to kneel, when the realization of what was happening finally hit him. His punishment wouldn’t be copying texts this time, he thought in horror. “Wait! Wait! Lan Zhan, you can’t let them do this to me! It’s not fair-“ he started but the rest of the words vanished as he saw Lan WangJi kneel beside him. “What are you doing?!” He asked, trying to hold Lan WangJi up by his elbow. _

_ “I broke curfew.” _

_ “No! You didn’t! I did. I did it; I pushed Lan Zhan outside! He didn’t break curfew, I attacked him.” _

_ “Begin,” Lan WangJi instructed, summoning a sharp, repeating pain to Wei WuXian’s back and shoulders. He screamed and whined and complained, while Lan WangJi kept his posture perfect beside him, the only indication that he felt the pain were the almost inaudible grunts that more resembled sharp exhales. It felt like hours before the impact finally stopped, but the pain throbbed, as if a new blow was struck with every beat of his heart. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Lan WangJi’s own punishment continued. He wanted to put himself between the paddle, but when he made to move, a searing pain shot throughout his whole body, and he fell over again with a choked out sob.  _

_ “Wei WuXian!” He heard his brother call out, but dared not turn.  _

_ He felt someone attempt to pull him up, and hissed in pain, but didn’t want Jiang Cheng to know the full extent of it. “Watch it! Can’t you see they just tenderized me? Who would have thought a bunch of vegetarians would know how to prepare meat so well,” he grumbled. Jiang Cheng scoffed, but was less harsh as he pulled his brother onto his back.  _

_ “What is the meaning of this?” Jiang Cheng demanded. “The avatar has come after his presence was requested and you beat him black and blue?!”  _

_ “Master QiRen believes the avatar’s previous punishment was not enough to dissuade him from acting disorderly. After having known and copied the rules of the air temples, he proceeded to intentionally break curfew,” one of the elders informed him. _

_ “And for that he deserves a beating? Has he hurt anyone? Has he killed anyone? Has he destroyed anything sacred or any part of the air temple?” _

_ “If we have offended you-” _

_ “It’s okay, Jiang Cheng. I knew I was gonna get punished when I got caught,” he quietly told his brother. _

_ Jiang Cheng humphed, but turned and left. He walked along a path Wei WuXian didn’t recognize to a place he didn’t know. “And to have beaten you on your back where you may not heal yourself… and you!” he started, intentionally jostling Wei WuXian on his back. “Mother told you not to make trouble, and it is all you have done!” _

_ “Madame Yu said I was not allowed to make trouble at Koi Tower.  _ You _ said you came to keep me out of trouble and have done nothing to stop me,” Wei WuXian accused.  _

_ “Ten fish would have better luck changing the direction of the current than I would have changing your behaviour. Get off if you mean to say it was pointless for me to come. Lan WangJi got more than you, and he walked away on his own.” _

_ “No,” he whined, holding on tighter. “He’s not human.” _

_ “If I had tried to stop you, I would have gotten the same beating. Why did Lan WangJi get punished as well, what have you done?” _

_ “I made a mistake when considering strategies to avoid punishment, but it’s too long a story.” _

_ “Cut the bullshit or I’ll drop you right now!” _

_ “Ah… I was sick of all those rules, I dreamt they floated around my head and blocked my view. Yesterday, I thought ‘The villagers say the wine in this area is the best in the world, and I could definitely use a drink!” So, I went after I was free from my daily punishment and even drank in town instead of bringing the alcohol back! But, by the time I returned it was past curfew. Lan Zhan saw me and I knew I was going to get in trouble, so I told him he couldn’t keep me here copying rules! I have to master the elements. I even told him I would go straight to bed,” he pouted, laying against Jiang Cheng’s back. “But he wouldn’t let me off the hook and he even went after me! So… I waited until there was no turning back and clung to him and knocked him off the wall and outside. I thought he wouldn’t tell on me since he broke curfew, too…”  _

_ “I thought he hated you before, but now I’m certain. You’re lucky Lan WangJi is a gentleman. If it was me-” _

_ “What would you do, Jiang Cheng? I’ve gotten you in trouble plenty of times!”  _

_ “And I pummeled you every time!” Jiang Cheng stopped abruptly when he saw a figure in white walk by them. The man stopped, and smiled, staring at them curiously .  _

_ “Avatar Wei WuXian and young master Jiang Wanyin, what are you up to?” _

_ “I was punished over a fifty times,” Wei WuXian mumbled. “And on the back, arms, and legs where I may not even heal myself.” _

_ “What has happened to make you deserve such a severe punishment?” He asked, shock clear on his face. _

_ “Nothing, it is not so severe. He’s just being dramatic. Get off,” Jiang Cheng brushed off, not willing to explain to Master Lan XiChen that his brother was an idiot and the world was doomed. _

_ “No, I’m injured. It hurts. I can’t walk. Your brother has no mercy. He has decided my punishment twice and both times were excessive.” _

_ “It… sounds quite painful,” said Lan XiChen. “Strikes as harsh as those will not heal for four days.” _

_ Jiang Cheng took a step back in shock. He knew Wei WuXian appeared to be in a great amount of pain when he found him, but that… it was too much! “He has to begin training soon, and you have-” _

_ “It’s okay, Jiang Cheng. The journey to Koi Tower is roughly four days as well!” _

_ “Do I look like an ostrich horse to you?” He said, shaking Wei WuXian again in retaliation. Lan XiChen gave them an understanding smile. _

_ “I know how essential it is that the avatar begin mastering the elements as soon as possible, and I am sorry for the part my nation has done in postponing the process. If you would like… there is somewhere in the Cloud Recesses used for meditation and healing that would cut the healing down to a few hours, I only need you to return before the sun sets to speak to someone that may show you the same vision that has been shown to me.” _

_ ***** _

_ Wei WuXian had been dropped off on a small, hidden path that Lan XiChen had told him led to the cold springs. His entire body was still burning in pain, making him tense, which made it hurt more, but it wouldn’t last much longer, he told himself. As he approached the water, he noticed a set of white clothes folded neatly and resting upon a rock. He felt himself smile as he drew closer and saw a figure in the water. He quickly undressed, and, despite the pain from the exertion, took a running start to the water, jumping in with a splash that was exaggerated by his waterbending until he was sure even their clothes a distance from the water weren’t spared. When he reemerged from the water, shivering, Lan WangJi was glaring at him, but he always was, so Wei WuXian didn’t hesitate in making his way over to him.  _

_ “You’re too cruel, Lan Zhan. Of course a punishment doesn’t mean anything to you when you already know how to get better fast. And here I was starting to feel bad for dragging you down with me when you won’t even tell me where to heal,” Wei WuXian scolded. _

_ “Not healing. Meditating,” he responded. “Stop.” _

_ Wei WuXian froze for a moment, frowning slightly. “But it’s cold, and it looks warmer over there.”  _

_ “It’s not,” Lan WangJi responded, taking a step back. Wei WuXian hesitated for a moment, but continued forward smiling.  _

_ “Then, at least let me heal you! I’m not as good as my shijie, but I’m pretty good!” He offered, raising his hands, and taking another step closer.  _

_ Lan WangJi continued to move back, while Wei WuXian continued to step forward, until the ground beneath them disappeared from under their feet and they continued to sink, sucked in by an unknown source under the spring.  _

_ Everything was black and for a moment he thought he was going to die before he was thrown into a much shallower body of water.  _

“ _ Ah! I really don’t like the Cloud Recesses,” Wei WuXian complained between fits of coughing out water. Waterbender or not, he was completely caught off guard by whatever that was and now he was stuck in a weird place with Lan WangJi. He looked around, taking in the cave that was illuminated by a source Wei WuXian could not find. A small island resided at the center that caught his attention. He stopped coughing, noticing the statue of “Avatar Lan Yi!” Wei WuXian cried out, standing and quickly wading through the water to reach it.  _

_ Lan WangJi looked like he was going to reach out and stop him, but could do nothing as Wei WuXian had already reached the statue and put his arm around it. _

_ “Lan Zhan! What do you think? Any similarities to my past life,” he laughed, leaning close to inspect the statue’s face, as if trying to find the similarities himself.  _

_ “Ridiculous,” Lan WangJi scolded. _

_ “Respect your elders!” He paused for a moment, looking thoughtfully between the statue, and the water that reflected them both. “Lan Zhan, I need you to be honest with me,” he said, voice losing its playful tone. _

_ Lan WangJi didn’t respond, but did meet his gaze. “Who’s prettier?”  _

_ “Wei Ying…” Lan WangJi warned, making Wei WuXian laugh harder. _

_ “You really think so? What an unbiased answer!”  _

_ The light that brightened the cave suddenly gathered on the statue, making Wei WuXian stumble back as he shield his eyes.  _

_ “Wei WuXian,” an unfamiliar female voice said, and Wei WuXian dropped his hands, looking up to find the statue of Avatar Lan Yi had come to life.  _

_ He bowed, peeking to his side to see Lan Zhan had done the same, although the boy had gone down on his knees. “I’m glad you have come. There is a war coming.” The voice echoed throughout the cave, and Wei WuXian suddenly realized that Lan Yi was the one who he was meant to speak to.  _

_ “I was brought here so that someone would tell me about the war. I thought it was strange that they would make me wait so long,” he answered.  _

_ “The solstice is when the line between the two worlds is thinnest. It is when Avatar Lan Yi could best contact you,” Lan WangJi explained. He looked from Lan WangJi to Lan Yi, who nodded in agreement.  _

_ “Avatar Wei WuXian, since before my time, the fire nation has had their eyes set on conquering the remaining nations. Avatar Wen Mao restrained their efforts, but with his death their attempt was reignited. When my time came, I did everything in my power to hold them back, but I’m afraid things won’t be so easy for you.”  _

_ “What… do you mean?” He asked.  _

_ “The fire nation will have unparalleled power soon. A power you cannot hope to stop. The balance of the four nations will be lost, and you shall suffer greatly.” Wei WuXian made a sound of disbelief. _

_ “How do I stop it? How do I stop them? There must be a way, you can’t just tell me that things will end badly!”  _

_ “Master the elements, and do what you know is right. If the world skews what is right and wrong, find the truth within yourself,” she said, her attention shifting to Lan WangJi for a fraction of a second before looking back at him. “I trust that you will know the answer when it matters.”  _

_ “When is the attack? How long do I have to try and stop them?”  _

_ “The power will come within three months, on a day where a comet passes the earth. Their firebending will become stronger than anything seen before.” _

_ “Three months?” Wei WuXian asked, scoffing in disbelief. “I can’t master the elements in three months! It will take me half a week to even get to Koi tower, and if the Wen really want to invade, why would they teach me fire?”  _

_ “The world is neither good nor bad, and neither is a nation; you will always find those willing to help along with those willing to hurt. You must learn to understand such things so that you may oversee justly. When I was alive, I had to surrender several of the teachings of my nation in order to act in a way that was unprejudiced and conscientious,” she said before the light faded and her skin turned gray, and she turned to stone before their very eyes. _

_ “Well that’s just fine! I’ll just walk into the fire nation and ask everyone their opinion of the avatar and if it’s good I’ll ask them if they happen to be a firebending master!” Wei WuXian said, stomping his foot. He huffed, before he turned with a smile to face Lan WangJi.  _

_ “Lan Zhan, did you hear? Your ancestor gave me permission to break your rules. You can’t punish me anymore,” he teased.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does Jiang Cheng seem out of character? In the canon stuff WWX wasn’t really anybody, and he did act mischievously, and Jiang Cheng feared for his family’s reputation, but I feel like if he was the avatar he would think Wei WuXian deserved a little more respect than he got? I dunno, I just felt like he would be the type of person that’s like how dare you disrespect the avatar?? All while he disrespects the avatar cuz he’s allowed cuz it’s his brother.  
> And Yes, I made LWJ’s sword into a bison. What was I supposed to do? Make them walk everywhere?? I think not. Besides, I really wanted a little a-yuan choosing his own 🥺.


	3. Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to update until tomorrow, but my shift got pushed back so I don't have to sleep early and had time to edit and post this today! Would anyone like to see the drawing I did of a-Yuan choosing his own bison :D? Ima drop it in there, anyway at the very bottom. Don't mind the ugly clouds I don't have a steady hand.

Wei WuXian leisurely walked through the little village, smiling as he was able to move freely without anyone recognizing him or being wary of him. He had been nervous at first, but Lan WangJi had led them in with no attempt or instruction to hide Wei WuXian’s appearance, so he simply acted as naturally as he could, and found that he had nothing to fear. The village had few people, those present invested in the booths that littered the streets. It was liberating to feel removed from the burdens of his previous life. He smiled at people and they smiled back! That hadn’t happened since before the war, and he never thought it would happen again. He turned to tell Lan WangJi this, but the man was no longer at his side. He was a few feet back, paying close attention to the merchandise before him at one of these small wooden booths. He walked over, just as Lan WangJi had finished his purchase and was approaching him with a black dyed water skin. Wei WuXian smiled brightly when he saw it, and laughed in joy when Lan WangJi handed it to him. 

“You really think of everything, don’t you, Lan Zhan?” Wei WuXian praised, admiring the pouch. It was a good size, and the color even matched what he was currently wearing. “Thank you, I should probably stick to one element so we can travel safely and without suspicion, and it can’t be fire, either.”

“Wei Ying is best at water,” Lan Zhan said, his gaze meeting Wei WuXian’s. Wei WuXian felt his chest swell at the praise. 

“Of course I am! I was the best waterbender- back then,” he mumbled the last part, before forcing another smile. “Let’s go, Lan Zhan. I’m hungry and you need to feed me. I’ll see where I can fill this up later.” 

They entered the only inn in the entire village, and were quickly attended by a young man who only had a single set of patrons besides them. Lan WangJi ordered their food, with Wei WuXian only speaking up to order two jars of alcohol, as he listened to Lan Zhan order only spicy food. 

“Have you finally traveled the world and eaten food that isn’t bland? It’s great, isn’t it?” He asked, saying a quick thank you to the server when he had brought him his alcohol and Lan WangJi’s tea. He wondered if Lan WangJi had been to Lotus Pier. Were his favorite stalls still there? It had been over a decade, according to Lan WangJi, so maybe not. Not like he would get the chance to check for himself, anyway. 

He was about to speak again to ask him where he’s been, but the words died on his tongue when the two other men at the inn suddenly spoke much more loudly than their previous hushed whispers.

“The swamp spirit is restless! They shouldn’t be trying to destroy it for their watchtowers! They tell the other nations that they don’t know why, and they send their benders to hurt and subdue the spirit and only anger it further. So many have disappeared, and all of them locals. Even the avatar, as corrupted as he was, knew better than to challenge spirits-“ 

“Shut up! The Dai Li are everywhere… you’ll end up missing and they’ll blame it on the spirit’s curse.” 

Wei WuXian froze as his eyes shifted to the two men that continued arguing in hushed voices, then to Lan WangJi, who drank his tea without making it obvious he heard the conversation, but gave a small nod.

“We should-,” Wei WuXian tried, standing from the table, but was pulled back by Lan WangJi. 

“Eat first,” he ordered, and Wei WuXian sat back down unwillingly. 

“Shouldn’t we ask for more information from those two?” Wei WuXian tried again, watching as the men quickly left the inn. “Who are the Dai Li?” 

“Spies for the earth kingdom.” 

“Why would the earth kingdom need spies? The fire nation is long gone and… so is the avatar,” he lied, wondering if there were in fact members of the Dai Li within earshot. 

“Jin GuangYao created them to uphold the cultural heritage of Koi Tower. If someone threatened the earth kingdom again, they would protect it,” Lan WangJi responded. 

“This isn’t anywhere near Koi Tower,” Wei WuXian scoffed. 

“‘A threat can come from anywhere.’” 

“Even… the other nations?” He asked, watching Lan WangJi’s reaction. His expression became closed off, giving Wei WuXian his answer. 

The Earth Kingdom had sent spies to each nation, giving itself the upper hand if any nation opposed their position as the largest and most powerful. It had taken out the Fire Nation to take its place like Wei WuXian had suspected over a decade ago.  _ And everyone was just okay with it? _ He asked himself, in complete disbelief. They had all so fiercely opposed the supervisory offices of the Fire Nation, not that he was okay with the idea, but that they welcomed these watchtowers and spies!

He supposed that from an enemy it was stealing from a colleague it was borrowing. Where the Fire Nation was not, the Earth Kingdom was welcomed. He knew in part he was to blame. This couldn’t have happened without him having stirred fear within the hearts of the remaining nations, but how could the other nations not see how clearly this was an abuse of power? 

Then again, the only two nations left were the air nation and water nation. The air nation would not participate in that sort of conflict to upheave the earth kingdom from the fire nation’s throne, and the water nation could not take out such a large army by itself. 

He really left them no choice, and he couldn’t imagine Jiang Cheng was happy about it. 

He didn’t want to think about that now. 

“What have you been up to since I’ve been gone, Lan Zhan?” Wei WuXian asked, trying to start up a casual conversation. “Or is it that you’ve been looking for me all this time?” He teased. 

“Wei Ying is important,” was what he responded, and what made Wei WuXian go red in response. 

“There would be another avatar eventually, Lan Zhan. Why couldn’t you let me rest?” He tried to joke again, but the crease that formed between Lan WangJi’s brows made him stop. He looked almost… upset from his comment, and not the angry upset he had been so used to. He looked almost hurt. 

“Ah… you’re right. Earth would be the next element in the cycle, and then it wouldn’t be much help if they thought the earth kingdom was doing the right thing. Since I’m here, I’ll do my best, okay, Lan Zhan?” He tried to soothe. 

Eventually their food was brought out to them, and he decided to not upset Lan Zhan any more by speaking while they ate for a few minutes before a thought occurred to him.

“Lan Zhan! Do you remember back then? When I brought a-Yuan to the mainland? We all ate together, and a-Yuan was so happy with all the toys you bought him. After that, he really didn’t stop talking about you. He even said he thought you were cooler than me! Imagine that, an airbending monk cooler than- ah!” He cut himself off, giving himself a light slap on the lips. He gave a sheepish smile to Lan WangJi for his close call, then continued talking. “But you did look really cool, Lan Zhan. I’m almost glad you didn’t fight me seriously that night we met at the Cloud Recesses. You took down the serpent like it was nothing! Imagine what you could have done to me, who was one hundred times smaller. Lan Zhan is merciful,” he teased, throwing in a small bow.

“Wei Ying defeated it.” 

“It was a team effort, then!” Wei WuXian declared with a smile.

But… a-Yuan, and Wen Ning and Wen Qing and the others… What difference had it made? They delayed their death at the hands of one beast and traded it for the hands of another. Hadn’t he already failed as the avatar? The balance had been destroyed completely. Would the cycle end with earth? If it did, it would leave the earth kingdom with an undeniable advantage, but the next avatar with a great disadvantage. Who would teach that avatar to firebend? 

“Who do you think will teach the next avatar to firebend?” Wei WuXian asked. “They couldn’t have forgotten such an important detail.” 

“No. They could not have,” Lan WangJi responded, having finished his food. Lan WangJi left money on the table and they both stood to leave. 

************

“I never thought I’d see the day when the untouchable HanGuang-Jun would have to wade through a swamp,” Wei WuXian said, splashing through the water. “I could make a bridge for you,” he suggested. 

“No need,” Lan WangJi responded, looking completely unbothered with getting his white robes dirty. Wei WuXian shrugged, taking in the moss coated swamp.

Vines and large branches twisted and intertwined in every direction, each the same murky color of the water with patches of a more vibrant green here and there. The sun crept in where it could, squeezing through holes between the tall canopy of leaves to sway in the water under the lightest movement and warm the small patches of earth that broke the surface to breathe. The place held no beauty, but there was a certain charm stemming from somewhere Wei WuXian couldn’t pinpoint. All around him, he felt life but it was neither a good feeling nor a bad one. It was just… living. 

“I’ll see if I can get it out with bending when we’re done,” he told him absentmindedly. “When did this place begin to have problems?” 

“Recently.”

“Do you know how many villagers have gone missing? Are you sure that of all the ones that have gone missing, it’s been because of this spirit? Why have I never heard of spirits in a place like this?”

“Six. No. Never caused any harm before.” Each answer was concise as always, and it broke him from his trance with an abrupt laugh. In all this time, Lan Zhan really hadn’t changed. 

Lan WangJi gave him a strange look, but Wei WuXian only shook his head. “Did you know, Lan Zhan, back then I really wanted you to come with me and Jiang Cheng. Do you think we would’ve done things like this? Jiang Cheng said you would have gotten sick of me. He said even I could take the pacifist out of you.

“I thought it would be like this back then. We would do avatar things involving spirits and helping people. We would travel the world and stay in different places every day and try different foods from all over the four nations. Oh! There’s a giant koi in the earth kingdom I heard you could ride! Let’s go, Lan Zhan! Would you ride it with me? If not that’s okay, you could just watch me ride it. Back then there was so little time,” he complained. Beside him, Lan WangJi had not even once tried to walk away from him and his nonsense, and had even hummed in response to his questions. “Have you ever seen a catgator up close? I know they like places like these, but… Lan Zhan?” He stopped when he didn’t hear the sound of Lan WangJi moving beside him. 

“Wei Ying.” He called out, and Wei WuXian turned, to see Lan WangJi looking into the distance. He made his way over to him and looked to see a group of people standing together a fair distance away. From where they were he couldn’t hear what they were saying, but two of the boys looked especially angry, although they took turns arguing with each other and the rest. He stayed behind when Lan WangJi proceeded, unsure of whether he should show his face or not.

“They will not recognize you. Your image and name have been destroyed almost completely across the three nations.” 

“Almost completely?” Wei WuXian asked, shooting Lan WangJi a curious look as he began to move forward. “Where has it not been destroyed?”

“The juniors may not enter there,” was all he said in response, before continuing onward to approach the young benders. 

“HanGuang-Jun!” One of them called excitedly. 

When they got closer, Wei WuXian could see that a small group of earth,water, and airbenders had gathered around a few men in earth kingdom style military uniform, and Wei WuXian hesitated when he saw them. They looked old enough to have known Wei WuXian when he was alive, and if they recognized him, things would become complicated. After all, he had finally told Lan WangJi he would go with him to the Cloud Recesses and learn airbending.  _ It’d be best to hang back on this one _ .  _ Lan Zhan is more than capable enough to take care of it on his own,  _ he thought, staying where the sun could not reach him, and the vines curtained him.

“I order you to stop the attempts at this construction,” he heard the young earthbender say. The soldiers laughed in response, making the boy angrier. 

“We don’t take orders from you,” one of them sneered, just as Lan WangJi reached them. 

“Master, the attempts at creating this watchtower within the swamp are disturbing the spirits of this area. This place is sacred and any attempt to harm it will anger the spirits and endanger the locals, yet they do not care to cease their efforts,” another boy explained. His face did not look as outraged as the one that had called out to Lan WangJi currently was, but concern was still evident. 

Wei WuXian may not have been able to check being the bridge between the two worlds off his list back then, but he never acted so recklessly as to desecrate sacred, spiritual ground. This was something the avatar should be involved in, wasn’t it?

“It’s a filthy swamp, what could be sacred here?” One man continued. “The biggest issue right now is making sure the avatar doesn’t return. I promise you he can do more damage than swamp spirits. You should leave before someone gets hurt.” 

“That the earth kingdom has risen since the downfall of the fire nation doesn’t give you the right to do as you please! Balance between the spiritual and physical world is essential!” The angry boy argued. His words were those that hadn’t been spoken since the Earth Kingdom had sent its agents out, yet he spoke them without fear, and it angered the soldiers

The man leading the group looked as if he wanted to strike him for speaking against him, but held back when Lan WangJi stepped in front of him. “That it does not directly impact you, does not mean it has no impact.”

“You airbenders think yourselves above everyone else with your infinite wisdom, yet in a fight you turn to complete cowards-“

A loud boom sounded throughout the swamp. 

Then another and another, slowly getting closer, slowly shaking the ground more and more. Everyone froze, turning to the direction the noise was coming from. A large shadow and heavy footsteps came crashing through the vines, steadily becoming bigger and louder until they could see the monster clearly. The being had a masked face of wood, and limbs of stringy plants and tangled vines. It towered over ten men tall, and as soon as it was close enough to attack, it did. The young benders got into their stances, but when they noticed its sights were not set on them, they faltered. 

In contrast, the earthbending boats were crushed in a single, powerful swing. Some of the men cried out in terror, while a few who had felt the power of the Earth Kingdom was their own, stood their ground and attempted to attack. Yet, the muddy ground would not rise at their command. At another powerful swing from the being, the remaining men scattered, running deeper into the swamp. The thing watched them escape for a few moments before it slowly began to shrink and shrink, dissolving into the water until all that was left was a man dressed completely in black and red, hugging his stomach as he laughed so hard tears began to form in his eyes, and he looked like he had trouble standing, making his way over to Lan WangJi and leaning on him for support. 

“You should not have done that.” Lan WangJi scolded, with no real bite behind his words. The man held out a hand as he tried to calm his laughter enough to speak. It took a minute, making the students present exchange curious and confused looks with one another. He finally settled, although his hand remained on Lan WangJi’s shoulder. 

“Lan Zhan, you know those kinds of people have no respect for the spirits, and by the time a spirit actually came to prove itself, someone could have gotten hurt. Besides, they disrespected the noble airbenders, and that is a crime I could not let slide,” he said, smiling up at Lan WangJi. 

They stared at each other for a moment, the teasing smile on Wei WuXian’s lips slowly vanishing as Lan WangJi’s intense stare continued to bore into him.

He missed this. He missed these little moments where he and Lan WangJi would argue over what was right and what was wrong, neither willing to admit that the other was correct, but knowing within themselves that there was weight in what the other said. Knowing that things weren’t so clear cut as what was right or wrong; what should or shouldn’t be done because should and shouldn’t didn’t matter when it  _ had _ to be done. He missed the challenge in Lan WangJi’s tense stance across from his own deceptively relaxed posture.  _ He missed Lan WangJi, _ he thought, immediately reeling at the thought. He was brought back to reality, noticing he had stepped closer to Lan Zhan, and took a step back, turning to look at the water with feigned interest. 

“How did you do that?” One of the boys asked, running up to him. Wei WuXian’s attention shifted to the young benders that still stood close by. The one that approached him stopped and bowed. “Lan JingYi of the Cloud Recesses.” 

“I’m the spirit of the swamp, of course!” 

Lan JingYi made to jab at him, as if to test out if he had a physical form, but Wei WuXian sidestepped his hand, stepping into HanGuang-Jun’s space. He gave an apologetic half smile before turning back to the boy. “How disrespectful! Children these days,” he huffed, crossing his arms. 

“Do not tease them,” Lan WangJi reprimanded, making Wei WuXian laugh in delight. 

“I remember; you don’t like it when I tease.” Wei WuXian turned to bow at the group. “Wei WuXian of- the swamp!” 

“No way do you live here,” JingYi said, making a face.

“What’s so bad about that? You live on a mountain, people live in deserts, in valleys, if you can live, why not live?” 

The other boy that had been arguing with the man approached, bowing as the other teen had done. “Lan Sizhui of the Cloud Recesses. I’m sorry if JingYi has offended you. This place is very… alive. It must be great to have so much life around you.”

“I dunno, this is my first time here,” he shrugged, catching the two boys off guard.

“You-!” 

“Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan chided. 

“What? Lan Zhan I didn’t lie. They met me in the swamp. When they speak of me again won’t they say ‘Do you remember Wei WuXian?’ ‘ Which one?’ ‘The one of the swamp!’ I didn’t lie once Lan Zhan. Lan JingYi said there’s no way I lived here, and I did not answer that I did,” he smiled. Lan WangJi regarded him with a fond sort of exasperation that made his heart do something funny in his chest. “Playing with words,” he mumbled, making Wei WuXian laugh again. 

“Enough of that! How did you make that monster?” Another boy demanded, this one was the earthbender that had been trying to give orders to the soldiers. His rudeness earned a soft glare from Lan WangJi, that immediately made him step back. 

“Here, look, I’ll show you,” he said, digging into the swamp. He stood, hiding what he had fished out behind his back. “Hold out your hands,” he said.

Lan Sizhui looked hesitant, while Lan JingYi and the other two boys looked outright disgusted. “You want to know don’t you? I won’t tell you unless you hold out your hands!” 

They gave each other one final look, then followed Wei WuXian’s instruction, and earned themselves a thick vine each. Lan JingYi immediately dropped it, crying out that it was a snake, prompting the other two to drop it as well.

“It’s not,” Lan SiZhui said, turning his own vine around in his hand. “I don’t understand.” 

“You have to think outside the box. What color is the vine?” 

“Green, of course,” Lan SiZhui responded. Lan JingYi approached, unwilling to pick up his own vine again.

“That means it’s healthy! Plants need three things to survive, what are they?” 

“Sun, air, and-“ 

“And water!” SiZhui exclaimed, delight and understanding clear on his face. “You were waterbending!” 

“Well done,” Lan WangJi praised, making the boy’s smile brighten. 

“Your bending shouldn’t be limited to the raw element itself. You have to learn to be a little resourceful. You airbenders have it easy! Air is everywhere, but what am I, a waterbender, to do if there’s no water? Plants have water, so does the air, so do I!” He said, earning a  _ look _ from Lan WangJi. “Sweat, that is,” he added. “Not that I’ll ever run out of water living in this swamp.”

“You just said this was your first time here!” Lan JingYi accused, earning another laugh from Wei WuXian. 

“Thank you for your wisdom,” Lan SiZhui bowed. “We will take it into account next time.” 

“What are you doing here, anyway?” Wei WuXian asked, taking in the eclectic mix of teenagers, each from a different nation. Had relations really gotten so good between the three nations after he disappeared that their students traveled together? No, it couldn’t be. They all had the clothing and mannerisms of young masters. Each was dressed in layers of fine, embroidered silk of a different color, with the earthbender dressed the most extravagantly.

“We were passing over, heading to the three nation’s conference, when it felt like something called out to us, and it appears the others had heard of the stories of this place and wanted to investigate” Lan SiZhui explained. “But… Father, I did not know you would come as well. Did you come because of the stories of this place, too?” 

“ _ Father _ ?” Wei WuXian asked. He couldn’t be talking to  _ him _ , so he turned to look to see if maybe there was anyone behind himself or Lan WangJi, but seeing that Lan WangJi and the boy were facing each other.  _ No way! _ he thought, looking between the two. Their noses were the same, but Wei WuXian couldn’t imagine Lan WangJi actually getting married or fathering a son! Lan SiZhui was also old enough to have been born around the time Wei WuXian was still alive. And there was absolutely  _ no way _ Lan WangJi would do such a thing out of wedlock. “Lan Zhan-“

“People are still trapped, we should soothe the spirit and have the villagers returned,” Lan WangJi said, turning and walking deeper into the swamp, and Wei WuXian could only watch him in disbelief. 

“He’s your father?” Wei WuXian asked the boy instead. 

“That’s right,” Lan SiZhui nodded. “I was taken in by HanGuang-Jun when I was very young. He’s the only parent I can remember. Might I ask how you know him?” 

“We… just met.”

“Then why would you call him by his birth name without him saying anything to stop you? Such an easily proven lie,” the earthbender huffed.

“If you can be rude to someone you just met, why can’t I?” Wei WuXian countered, turning away and following Lan WangJi. He stopped when he didn’t hear footsteps following him and turned. “Are you waiting to be spirited away as well? Stick to your big brother for protection.” 

“Who would want a filthy, troublemaking, swamp dwelling older brother like you?” The earthbender scoffed, regaining his courage when Lan WangJi was out of earshot. He turned away with his arms crossed. 

“Big brother!” A boy dressed in a waterbender’s colors called out, then came running over. “Would you teach me how to waterbend like you?” 

“How could I be selfish and keep my infinite wisdom to myself? You need to listen carefully and do everything I say, understand? What’s your name, anyway?” 

“Ouyang Zizhen of the Baling village southwest of Lotus Pier,” the boy said with a bow. 

“Hmm, Baling is a small tribe. Have you been to Lotus Pier to train with the masters?” 

“My father has been trying to convince chief Jiang Cheng to allow me to train there, but many students want to learn at Lotus Pier.” 

“Good. It’s best if you aren’t instilled with Lotus Pier’s old age rules and rigid bending. I could teach you much more than Jiang Cheng ever could, anyway!” He declared, making the boy beside him, and those around him tense. He stopped, and looked around, trying to figure out what caused the change in mood. 

“Master WuXian, the earthbender, Jin Ling, is nephew to chief Jiang Cheng, and his only surviving relative,” Lan SiZhui informed him in a hushed voice, eyes shifting between Jin Ling and Wei WuXian, and that was all the warning the boy got before Jin Ling erupted.

“What makes you think you could  _ ever _ be better than the leader of the entire Water Nation!? Of course a poodle monkey would think himself the wisest amongst beetle worms, but in the real world with actual benders, you wouldn’t stand a chance against my uncle,” Jin Ling said.

Wei WuXian regarded him for a moment. Jiang Cheng really raised this kid, there was no doubt about it. He was blunt, harsh, and had a specific arrogance that he associated with his brother. It almost made him want to laugh at how alike they were. Unfortunately, almost quickly left the sentiment and he burst out laughing, further infuriating the boy. 

The boy gave an angry huff and stormed off, deeper into the swamp.

“A-ah! Hey! Wait!” Wei WuXian called after him, making the boy begin to run. “Lan Zhan, I’m going to go after him!” He yelled back to Lan WangJi, who was a little ways ahead of them, then turned to the young benders. “Stay with Master WangJi.” 

He built a bridge of ice and jumped onto it, running over the swamp where the weight of the water wouldn’t slow him down, extending it as he went.

That boy! To cause problems for people he didn’t even know, and run around in a dangerous place whose reputation he _knew!_ Why couldn’t he keep his own mouth shut! Now he was going to get his Shijie’s only child killed. He hit a patch of land after a bit, which did not bode well for him. Through water, Jin Ling could only move so quickly, but now… and the boy could have gone in any direction! He stopped, letting out a sigh. _Okay,_ he thought to himself. _Odds are he preferred the land over the water, so maybe he kept going this way._

Lo and Behold! The closer he looked, footprints! A significantly long trail that was easy to spot. Maybe it wasn’t too bad that he was more comfortable on land. Wei WuXian began to follow the trail as he ran, only hoping that neither spirit nor catgator had gotten hold of his nephew. 

_ “A-Xian,” _ he heard a familiar voice whisper, stopping him dead in his tracks. 

“ _ A-Xian,” _ that same voice called out again, a sound like a tinkling bell. Wei WuXian felt his breath catch in his throat. His eyes began to water as he slowly turned. 

“ _ A-Xian,” _ Jiang YanLi called out, such a small distance away. 

“Shijie…” Wei WuXian mumbled in disbelief. “Shijie! Shijie!” He called out, running to the figure that called his name gently and held her arms out welcomingly. The closer he got, the more beautiful her smile was. There was a warmth from her voice, the same warmth he knew he would find in her arms. When he finally met her, and wrapped his arms around her, he was met with nothing but air. 

There was none of the warmth he remembered.

He opened his arms in disbelief, inspecting them for any sign that he had almost regained a fragment of it—that she had been there at all. His vision became blurry and his arms began to shake as he dropped down into the murky water and thick mud, letting his arms hang loosely at his side. 

He had no one to blame but himself. He had all but killed Jiang YanLi, but not without stealing her happiness before he did

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A poodle monkey is a pet… and a beetle worm is a…..food thing... I don’t know, okay! I’m doing my best!   
> The scene in the novel where Wei WuXian is teaching the junior disciples is like my favorite thing ever. Especially when hes showing them that the high threshold keeps corpses from goin in cuz they cant jump that high and then proceeds to demonstrate by trying to hop over it. Also, next chapters I think I’m gonna start the full past flashbacks. Ya know… just cuz it makes more sense there. Totally not stalling while I try to figure out where I’m going with the present timeline… I'm really excited for the flashbacks, tho! I am a little more behind than I'd like to be, so the next chapter might be late, too...


	4. Earthbending part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This would have been up sooner, but I couldn't pry myself away from svss long enough to edit it :/. But, I'm almost done reading it, so here I am! I also drew a waterbending wwx that will be at the bottom of the chapter, you don't gotta look at it if you don't wanna. I didn't know what clothes to draw on him, but in the end I thought it would be fun to put him in waterbending clothes very obviously taken from... the smiling proud wanderer? I dunno, it was blue and I was like nice, I don't have to come up with my own. Anyway! Thanks for reading and commenting and stuff :D! I'm gonna try to do better on this posting thing, but... don't believe me. Nie MingJue and Nie HuaiSang next chapter!! They're my favorite characters <3

“I wanted Lan Zhan to come with us,” Wei WuXian whined, once they were at the base of the mountain.Now that there wasn’t the looming dread of climbing up, he felt like he could appreciate the otherworldly beauty it held; from down there, the Cloud Recesses really looked as if it sat within the skies. A few steps further, and maybe the Cloud Recesses would look like a cloud as well. And within the clouds was a jade prince-like figure who mimicked the moon in appearance and its strict routine-- and that’s where he would stay, he thought with a pout.

“Why did he say no? It should be an honor to be invited to travel with the avatar,” he huffed. “It’s your fault! You didn’t make it seem fun enough!” 

“Who could have fun escorting an avatar like you?!” Jiang Cheng yelled back. “It’s completely your fault. There wasn’t a single rule you obeyed while there. You weren’t even present for the reason the airbenders summoned you, and to make matters worse, you even disappeared for an entire day and a half. We were left standing there waiting for you at the avatar sanctuary until the solstice had passed and then they formed a search party for you and young master Lan! 

“You’ve annoyed them so much, who even knows if they’ll let you back to master airbending. What do you want young master WangJi coming along for, anyway? You said the airbenders were stuffy and boring,” he scoffed, continuing on his way down the worn dirt path.

Wei WuXian groaned, stomping childishly as he followed. “He has a flying bison. If he came we wouldn’t have to walk all the way to Koi Tower.”

“Would you really be willing to put up with him just so you wouldn’t have to walk?” Jiang Cheng asked, grimacing. 

“What are you talking about? Lan Zhan is the best to tease! Besides, I think eventually we could be friends,” he declared, confidently. “We just haven’t spent enough time together, but I’m sure that by the time I’m done mastering air he will be able to call me a friend!”

He felt a hand on his forehead, and smacked it away, turning to look at his brother. 

“You don’t have a fever, but you’re still talking nonsense. Someone like Lan WangJi doesn’t have friends. Students? plenty. A lover? If the marriage is arranged, but friends made willingly? Never.”

“Any girl would be lucky to marry Lan Zhan! He’s so handsome and strong! If the Cloud Recesses didn’t have so many rules, I would prefer him for Shijie instead of that stuck up peacock. I can’t believe I have to waste four days traveling to Koi Tower to learn from subpar masters just to please the Jin family,” he grumbled, kicking at the ground.

The Jin family, while relatively capable earthbenders, were more known for their wealth and status than their earthbending. Meanwhile, the Nie family were well-known as powerful earthbenders, with the exception of Nie HuaiSang, who lacked talent in terms of earthbending, and anything really.

Students came from all over the earth kingdom to study under Master MingJue, although few could take his intense methods, but who better to learn earthbending from than the best earthbender alive?

“It’s a longer way to the Unclean Realm,” Jiang Cheng responded, but he didn’t sound too pleased with having to go to Koi Tower, either.

“It would be worth it. Ugh! How tiresome. Are we almost there yet? I should be at Lotus Pier carving a betrothal necklace for a beautiful maiden,” he bemoaned.

“What maiden?! I’d have been long dead before you decided to settle on a single girl. You’re a shameless flirt, and you’re not the marrying type, especially not now that you’re the avatar.” Wei WuXian put his hands over his heart, feigning hurt.

“You think too little of me, Jiang Cheng! You really think I would tell girls I’m the avatar to win their affection? I would rather gain it of my own merit and charm.” 

************

Arriving at Koi Tower came as no relief to their nearly weeklong journey. For one thing, he didn’t want to be there to begin with. For another, Uncle Jiang had sent word ahead of them that they would be arriving in four days time, which had given Lord Jin GuangShan enough time to plan an ostentatious party with all the nobility in Lanling welcoming the Jin family’s newest ally and student: the avatar. Not Wei WuXian, not Jiang Cheng. Those words were not used to address them a single time. It was “the avatar and his brother” the entire night. Wei WuXian was passed around and treated like a cheap party trick and a glowing sword they could hold above others. More than once, Wei WuXian’s fingers twitched to destroy the entire banquet hall out of pure spite—just to see the look on Jin GuangShan’s face. Sadly, Jiang Cheng reminded him of his promise to Madame Yu and all he could do was make faces at Lord Jin when his back was turned as he bragged to others of how this meant the avatar was now indebted to his family, and  _ of course _ he would personally train the avatar, he was almost family, after all, and had they heard of his son’s betrothal to Jiang YanLi? It was a perfect match and they would have the most extravagant wedding any of the four nations had scene and-

The whole thing made him sick, and even made him miss the Cloud Recesses. Honestly, anything was better than  _ this.  _ He really wanted no part of this, the alcohol wasn’t even nearly as good as the one in Gusu. 

“Avatar!” A voice called out to him, making him scoff in disbelief. Could he really have not even a single second of peace? Maybe he could pretend to not hear them. No, he couldn’t because Jiang Cheng had already turned to face him. He gave him a soft glare, and reluctantly turned, his fake smile having disappeared pretty early in the night. The smug look the boy had on his face let Wei WuXian know his name had at least some weight behind it, but everyone’s there did. The only difference was that this one had a small crowd trailing him. “Why don’t you show us some of your skill? If you’re going to be saving the world, we should see what you’re capable of,” he said, looking around for approval, which he got enthusiastically. This really was the cherry on top. Now they were asking him to perform like a dancing monkey for the earth kingdom nobility. He looked around at the faces that eagerly awaited his answer, and gave a disbelieving laugh. 

In truth, he had no reason to say no; he didn’t believe he could possibly lose to such a person, and he always loved a good spar, on top of the fact he hadn’t had the chance to spar with an earthbender. 

It would have been this year that the four nations would have gathered for celebrations and a friendly tournament that he would have been eligible to compete in. With the way things were headed, he highly doubted anyone would let their guard down enough to take part in such a celebration instead of bracing for an attack. Besides, this spoiled young lord deserved to be taken down a few notches, so what better chance would he get to do both things than this?

But… who was this, again? 

“Who are you?” He asked. The smug look quickly dropped off the other’s face, replaced by anger then again replaced with a strained smile.

He gave a forced, haughty laugh. “The avatar doesn’t even recognize the faces of those who host him. I am Jin ZiXun of the Jin family of Lanling.”

“Not from the main house, of course, since I’ve never heard of you,” Wei WuXian countered, just to watch his expression distort in anger again.

Jin ZiXun took a step closer, teeth clenched, but he looked to be doing his best to keep from offending the Jin family’s honored guest. 

“Jin ZiXun is cousin of Jin ZiXuan,” one of the guests supplied.

“Are you going to accept my challenge?” JinZiXun snapped, impatiently.

“And if I prove unworthy you’ll choose a new avatar?” Wei WuXian asked sarcastically, but was already shoving his empty cup in Jiang Cheng’s hands. Not like he hadn’t already decided he would accept the challenge, anyway. “Where do you want to do this?” 

He felt Jiang Cheng tug at his sleeve, and hold him back. “What are you doing?” He hissed. 

Wei WuXian pulled himself free. “Brother, our hosts have asked for a friendly spar to demonstrate my abilities, how could I refuse?” He winked back at him as he was led away from the Glamour Hall, past the ponds and bridges and courtyards and into a large, open training ground, followed by what could very well have been everyone at the banquet. The arena was made of pure earth, elevated roughly two feet off the ground, and flowers grazing the edge in neat little beds. Even though this was only a training ground, everything was tidy and excessive in its attempt to show the extravagant wealth of the Jin family. It could almost be said to have looked unused. As he drew closer, Wei WuXian could see the large earth coins that were meant to be the only earth students at Koi Tower were permitted to use so as to not destroy or distort the training grounds. He wanted to laugh. What would the earthbenders that trained here do out in the real world where earth coins were not on the battlefield?

When they reached the center of training grounds he and Jin ZiXun each took a side. The smug look had reappeared, and Wei WuXian knew it at least had something to do with the large amount of earth he had to use against him, but when Jin ZiXun gave a small bow to commence the fight, he understood that he had been played. Jin ZiXun immediately sent two giant earth coins hurtling towards him and Wei WuXian had just enough sense to jump out of the way of the unexpected attack and continue to dodge under the relentless onslaught. If this was how he was planning to win, then it was fine, he quickly decided. Not like Jin ZiXun could go on like this forever, and he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of thinking he was an actual challenge. 

Lan Zhan had fought like this hadn’t he? But, of course, Wei WuXian was smarter and more skilled than this second rate bender, allowing him to actually get a hit. 

“What is he doing?!” He heard his brother yell from the sidelines, as Wei WuXian continued to dodge the attacks. “You haven’t even provided my brother with water to bend!”

“I heard the avatar was a waterbending master who could pull the water out of the air! Was it a lie?” Jin ZiXun taunted, not once relenting in his attack, but Wei WuXian could hear the strain in his voice. He really thought he could take him out quickly, Wei Wuxian realized. 

He had at least heard of Jin ZiXuan’s skill. He was considered a prodigy, but it looked like Jin ZiXun relied on pure, brute force when he fought. He was almost disappointed, he thought this would be some kind of challenge.

He eventually grew bored, and walked off the arena without enduring a single scratch or throwing a single blow. “It was my mistake to think this was going to be a challenge. Consider this your victory if you’d like,” he said, not even turning to look back at Jin ZiXun as he spoke. He heard the whispers of the crowd, and knew that Jin ZiXun had enough witnesses that he wouldn’t dare call it his victory. 

Wei WuXian gave a bow to his audience. “Excuse me, I think I’ll be retiring for the night.” 

He walked away with Jiang Cheng at his side through the courtyards of the Jin estate back towards their rooms. “You humiliated him in front of everyone.”

“He wasn’t worth wasting my energy on, and” Wei WuXian added, looking pensive. “If I really did humor him by waterbending I’d make him think he was more trouble than he actually was.”

“To think that he could take down the avatar, even if he tried cheating,” he said, flicking his sleeves. 

“Even worse!” Wei WuXian added. “To think he could take down a waterbender trained at Lotus Pier.”

“What happened to the waterskin you had with you? Where did you leave it and why didn’t you use it?”

“I can’t use that one, it’s special,” he said, as if it was a secret. “I took it from the Cloud Recesses from the Cold Spring. It’s a spiritual place, and the water has healing properties.” He paused, scowling. “Why would I waste it fighting the Jin cousin? I handed it to a servant with the rest of my belongings, it was taken to my room.” 

“It must be a great advantage! To have the avatar for a brother-in-law.” They heard someone say, making them both freeze. They were talking to Jin ZiXuan. He exchanged a look with Jiang Cheng, and the two proceeded slowly.

The comment earned a scoff from someone who could only have been Jin ZiXuan. No one else could have possibly gotten away with reacting to Jiang YanLi in such a way “Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to offend, young master. I’m sure you’re not simply marrying lady YanLi for her connections.”

“Of course he’s not. He’s marrying her because his mother said he must,” another whispered not too well. 

“Ah, that explains it. There really is nothing special about Jiang YanLi, after all.” 

“Aren’t you going to say anything back?” Wei WuXian asked, stepping into the view of the young nobles. “They’re disrespecting shijie, and you simply stand by without putting an end to it?”

The young noble that had made the comments about Jiang YanLi took a step back, keeping wide eyes focused on Wei WuXian, as if afraid the avatar would strike them at any given moment. As Wei WuXian and Jiang Cheng took a step forward, the earthbenders and nobles that surrounded Jin ZiXuan took a step back. 

“Why would I punish someone for speaking the truth?”

Wei WuXian reacted faster than he or Jin ZiXuan could understand, and punched him square in the jaw, sending him crumbling to the ground. Shouts and gasps surrounded him, but Wei WuXian’s eyes remained locked on Jin ZiXuan’s own. To his merit, he recovered quickly, and was back on his feet and launching an attack back at Wei WuXian only a second after falling. The earth quaked beneath Wei WuXian’s feet for the second time that night, but this time the attacks were much more skilled, and he found that he couldn’t simply jump around as he had done before. Unfortunately for Jin ZiXuan, the Jin estate had dozens of large ponds all around to show off their exotic, expensive fish. This time, Wei WuXian wasn’t short of any bit of water. 

He brought waves crashing endlessly over Jin ZiXuan until he lay motionless on the ground, the wall of earth he had tried to use as a barrier only pebbles on the ground. He stood, still shaking in anger as he watched the prone form, not having noticed that the others that had been there when he first arrived had fled until they returned with Jin GuangShan and Jin ZiXun in tow. 

“What have you done!” Lord Jin GuangShan exclaimed, rushing over to his son. He made sure he was still breathing before looking up and seeing that the ponds were dry, the flowers were limp, and a portion of the earth had been brought up and destroyed, leaving a crater. 

Slowly, more and more people began to appear to see that the Jin’s ally had turned away from them. After the humiliation of Jin ZiXun during the spar, the utter defeat of Jin ZiXuan by his hands, and the destruction of Jin property, Jin GuangShan had very little face left.

“Behind the avatar, the most important people are those who shape their views. Your students and family have attempted to attack me during a spar without providing me with any means of defending myself, disregarded my training in favor of festivities even with such little time left, and insulted Jiang YanLi. There is nothing good I can or will learn from the Jin family of the Earth Kingdom. I will retrieve my belongings and find a new master,” Wei WuXian spat, then turned, leaving the outraged spluttering of Jin Guangshan behind him. Jiang Cheng was silent beside him for a long time, and Wei WuXian was beginning to think he was really angry with him. They had made it out of the ornate halls of the palace before he finally decided he should apologize to Jiang Cheng. 

“Sorry, Jiang Cheng. Madame Yu’s going to have a whipping ready for both of us when we return,” he said with a wince. He could already hear the sharp snap of her water whip. 

“What are you saying sorry for?” Jiang Cheng responded, catching him off guard. When he turned to face him, he looked just as angry as he had been earlier, clenching and unclenching both his jaw and fists. “If you hadn’t hit him first, I would have… They’ll call father to Koi Tower.” He informed Wei WuXian, as if he hadn’t already guessed it. With all the trouble they had caused, it would be a wonder how they would be able to maintain friendly relations, and there was no way the betrothal between the two would survive. The thought made him feel a little guilty. His shijie would be disappointed, but he would rather have that than see her in a marriage where her husband constantly insulted and debased her.

“And what was I supposed to do? Wait to be disciplined instead of finding an earthbending master? We already wasted enough time at Koi Tower. Uncle Jiang will have to wait a little longer to punish me.”

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “When has he ever punished you?” 

“When has he ever punished  _ you _ ?” Wei WuXian countered. “The only one that does the beatings and scoldings is Madame Yu, and I get disciplined much more than you do.” 

“That’s because you cause more trouble than I do,” Jiang Cheng responded, rolling his eyes. 

“Keep rolling your eyes at me and one day they won’t come down,” Wei WuXian jeered, shoving his brother and running ahead of him. 

“You-!” Jiang Cheng shouted, giving chase.

“You can’t chase me all the way to the Unclean Realm!” Wei WuXian yelled back at him, yelping when he saw Jiang Cheng was too close. 

“You can’t run all the way to the Unclean Realm,” Jiang Cheng shouted back. 

It really was a shame he hadn’t learned any earthbending at all in the day he’d been at Koi Tower. He could have at least tripped Jiang Cheng to slow him down. The thought made him laugh with what little breath he had. “Mercy!” he called back at his brother. “Mercy, Jiang Cheng! Spare me, I tripped! I didn’t mean to push you!” 

“If you tripped, why did you run!” Jiang Cheng roared, not slowing down in the slightest.

“Just wait ‘til I master the elements, Jiang Cheng! Just see if you can still bully me!” He panted out. 

“Who’s bullying who?! You pushed me first!” He accused, speeding up on spiteful energy alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh, i hate descriptions. I only like dialogue. Catch me writing a text fic cuz I’m a piece of shit. … I’m just kidding, don't expect anything from me. I’m a terrible person.  
> When I was writing the fight between WWX and Jin ZiXun I didn’t know how he would fight against someone like that. At first, I thought maybe I could write it like Tahno and Korra’s one on one when they were probending where she knocks him out in two moves, but that didn’t feel right. Then, I thought maybe he could wait til Jin ZiXun tired himself out and attack by drawing the water from the flowers around the arena, but I think at this stage WWX would still have some regard for life, and wouldn’t think of even killing plants for his own benefit. It just seemed kind of dark… But! Then I thought “he just visited the airbenders!” He just saw how LWJ and the airbenders fought, and I think it’s something he would pick up easily and quickly. I also figured it would be the best way of embarrassing someone like Jin ZiXun who thinks himself so great. Your opponent not only didn’t take a single hit, but he also didn’t raise a single hand to strike back and looks like he’s in a better condition than you, if not a little bored.


	5. Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really excited to finally be able to post a chapter again! I promise this fic isn't even a little close to being abandoned; I have been working on it every day. The only problem is that the next few chapters have a lot to do with each other and the rest of the story, and so I don't want to upload them without having all the details the way I want them so that they don't contradict later chapters... There's like 7 flashback chapters total, so far we're on the second one, and I am currently working on the fifth. I was hoping to finish the entire flashback arc by the end of the week, but it's been a little hard working it out. I also felt bad not updating in so long, and this chapter is of little consequence to the others, so I can at least post this one :D! I might also split the flashback so that all the chapters up until 5 can be published at once, and then the last two which are like pre and post corruption wwx.   
> Anyway! Thank you so much for reading and stuff :D!

Arriving at the Unclean Realm was a stark contrast to Koi Tower. 

Obviously, no one was waiting for them, since no one would have known that they were coming, and Wei WuXian knew that even if they did, Nie MingJue wasn’t one to throw ridiculously extravagant banquets upon his arrival. 

He had met Nie MingJue the few times he had gone to do business at Lotus Pier, although the man wasn’t one to stay and exchange pleasantries and involve himself in idle chatter. He had been introduced to the man the first time he had arrived while Wei WuXian was present, and had only bowed in greeting the next few times he had come around. 

In truth, whenever Wei WuXian tried to picture an earthbender, it was Nie MingJue’s face he saw, although he was sure many people could say the same, and now that he was at the Unclean Realm, he felt as if it truly personified both its ruler and the essence of earthbenders. 

Everything from the roads and stairs leading to Koi Tower had been covered in carvings, statues, and decoration, each detailing the splendor of the region and how it prospered under the benevolent Jin clan. A history of their own writing, he was sure. On the other hand, while they may have expected a progressing change as they drew closer to the Unclean Realm, there was none that would give away their drawing closer to any civilization until they were close enough to see the wall. 

It had been one of the things that had made the Unclean Realm impenetrable and unconquerable in any of the wars since it was first established. That, and the narrow path leading up to the city that wouldn’t let more than three at a time walk across its length. Any unwelcome visitor could be just as easily knocked off, or their progression cut off by the sudden collapse of the earth. 

Still, from a distance, the Unclean Realm might even look like all of the other mountains from its lack of decoration or alteration, until they were close enough to make out a line too straight to be natural and the shadows cast by the homes carved into the mountainside.

The closer they got, the taller the wall seemed to grow until it even blocked out the sun itself when they had finally reached its base. It was a work of awe inspiring strength and diligence. It stood over a hundred men tall, and Wei WuXian was certain it would take ten times that to take it apart. Several guards stood atop the walls, while two stood just outside, watching them as they drew closer. 

“State your business in the Unclean Realm,” one of the men said. 

Wei WuXian gave a bow. “My name is Wei Ying, courtesy name WuXian. I’m the avatar and I seek Master MingJue to teach me earthbending.” 

“The avatar?” The other man scoffed. “ Aren’t you supposed to be at Koi Tower?” 

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the city walls opened with a groan, shaking the ground as they did, although the men on and around the wall seemed unbothered. That is, until they caught sight of the man who stepped out.

He was dressed in fine, albeit plain, clothing and walked with an unmistakable urgency, while keeping his air of calm around him. Had the man’s smile not appeared practiced, he would have been able to compare him to Lan XiChen. He bowed to the men guarding the city, who only sneered in response. Still, his smile didn’t slip off his delicate features. “Lord MingJue requests your presence, General,” he informed the man who had just been speaking to Wei WuXian. 

“And who is to be left to guard the city? You?” He asked with a cold laugh. “Find someone suitable to take my place, then return to have me relieved of my duties. While you do, take the avatar to Lord MingJue.” 

The man’s eyes widened a fraction, then he bowed to the two waterbenders. “It is an honor to be in your presence.” 

“More of an honor than a son of a whore like you deserves. Hurry up! He has better things to do than to breathe the same air as you, and so do I.” 

The man gave another tense smile, another bow, and turned to guide him and Jiang Cheng through the city. Wei WuXian tried as hard as he could, but couldn’t come up with words to relieve the awkward tension left from the exchange. He looked to Jiang Cheng, but his brother looked just as stumped. This kind of speech was common in tavern’s and on the streets of Lotus Pier, but between two men who were in a ruler’s confidence? Wei WuXian could not think of one thing responsible for such behavior. In the end, it was the man who broke the silence. “You’ve come from Koi Tower?” He asked, amicably. 

“We have. Although, I can’t say we were there very long. Have you been there before?” 

“... Once,” the man responded. “ I have yet to introduce myself,” he stopped, and turned to them with another bow. “My name is Meng Yao, I am Lord MingJue’s chief advisor.” 

“Why would you let those men treat you so poorly if you were in such a high position?” Jiang Cheng asked. The man had turned and walked several steps before he finally responded.

“My lord says… I should pay no mind to the words of others. You are Jiang WanYin, correct? Son of Chief Jiang Fengmian?” 

“I am,” Jiang Cheng responded. 

“What great luck to be the son of a chief and the avatar all at once,” Meng Yao seemed to congratulate. 

“I am not.” 

The man cast a confused look back at them, and was met with Wei WuXian’s slight bow. “My name is Wei Ying, courtesy name WuXian; son of a servant.” 

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to offend-“ 

“Who could you have offended?!” Jiang Cheng snapped. “What difference does it make whether I am the avatar or he is? We both come from Lotus Pier and that is where both of our loyalties lie. Besides, Wei WuXian is a member of the Jiang Family as well.” 

Meng Yao didn’t say another word after that, whether it was out of embarrassment or offense at Jiang Cheng’s abrupt and rude response. Luckily, it wasn’t long before they could see the palace walls. 

They entered with ease, since Meng Yao had accompanied them, but there weren’t many people within the palace walls when they did. The entire courtyard was pure earth with some neat patches of grass, but none of the extravagant ponds or flower beds or bridges that littered Koi Tower, or even the Cloud Recesses and Lotus Pier. Out of all the capitals, this was the one most out of place. The only person that could be seen was a boy roughly their age, who had been strolling by, lazily fanning himself as he looked around, clearly in his own world. 

“HuaiSang!” Meng Yao called out, drawing the boy’s attention. He froze, covering his face with his fan, but Meng Yao continued to walk towards the boy who didn’t appear to have enough sense to leave if he didn’t want to be seen. 

“HuaiSang, I have business to attend to, could you escort the avatar and this young lord to see your brother?” 

Nie HuaiSang collapsed his fan immediately. “The avatar is here?!” 

Wei WuXian bowed for what could have been the thousandth time that day. “Wei Ying, courtesy name WuXian.” 

“Jiang Cheng, courtesy name WanYin.” 

“Would you take him to your brother for me?” Meng Yao asked again, and Wei WuXian noted that his attitude seemed to shift a bit. He looked as if he were more comfortable with the young boy than he had been with the guards or himself and Jiang Cheng. His voice was much more gentle, and his stance became minutely more relaxed. Wei WuXian could even note what could only be endearment in his eyes, and the boy, no doubt Nie HuaiSang, seemed just as comfortable with the man, forgoing all formalities when addressing him. 

“Ah! Yes yes yes yes yes,” he hurried over and hooked his arm with Wei WuXian’s. “Come this way Avatar WuXian-“ 

“Meng Yao! Where is my commander?” The smile dropped off Nie HuaiSang’s face along with the color.

Just before them, the imposing figure of Nie MingJue stalked towards them. 

No one who had never met or even heard of the man could doubt that he was the leader of the Unclean Realm. He walked with a confidence that could only be bred and instilled into a person. It was a confidence that projected authority and a strength that could not be hidden. Despite all his strengths that made him a great ruler, his temper was infamously bad, which was probably why Nie HuaiSang was now cowering behind Meng Yao. It made him certain that the boy had absolutely no intention of taking them to his brother.

Meng Yao gave a small bow in apology. “Forgive me, I forgot to find someone to relieve the commander of his post.”

“What nonsense are you speaking?  _ You _ were meant to relieve him of his post, but very well. I might need you for something later. Find someone else,” he instructed with a wave of his hand. Meng Yao nodded and walked off, leaving Nie HuaiSang unprotected, and Nie MingJue was quickly upon him.   
“Where is your earthbending master?” 

“Ah… I think… maybe there was a m-misunderstanding. He stopped coming-”

“How long has it been?” He snapped, his brow twitching in annoyance, and Nie HuaiSang shrunk in on himself.

“Master MingJue, it is a pleasure to see you well,” Wei WuXian said, stepping between the two Nie brothers. “My name is Wei WuXian, and I-“ 

“The avatar, then? You’ve come to master earthbending? Master XiChen said you were headed to Koi Tower.” 

“The masters at Koi Tower did not understand the urgency of the situation,” Jiang Cheng stepped in, obviously worried Wei WuXian would say something against the Jin Family. “It would be an honor if you would train my brother.”

Nie MingJue focused his intense gaze on Wei WuXian, and after what seemed an eternity suffering it, he spoke. “No, they do not. They seem to be of the belief that the Fire Nation will spare them if they don’t show any sign of resistance. Very well, then. HuaiSang,” the man suddenly addressed the boy, making him jump. “You will be coming along as well. I’ll take up your training, so there are no further  _ misunderstandings _ .”

With that, he turned and began to walk away. Nie HuaiSang quickly ran after him, and the two boys followed behind, hearing him whine and cry as he tugged at his brother’s arm. “What fault is it of mine that the earthbending master you brought to teach me didn’t understand what I meant! Brother, please, have mercy, your style is too intense for me. I’ll die!” 

He was harshly shaken off, without being spared a single glance. Wei WuXian almost felt sorry for him. He was of a slighter build, and seemed like he had a generally meek disposition. Currently, however, he was wondering what he had gotten himself into if Nie HuaiSang was that scared of being taught by his own brother and, therefore, had no time to pity the other boy.

**********

He had been provided with clothes in the style of the Unclean Realm, his own clothes tucked away in the room that had been provided to him, along with his waterskin. The training grounds had been cleared of the soldiers and students that had been practicing there, leaving the too big arena with two lone figures. Wei WuXian wasn’t quite sure at what point he had done it, but Nie HuaiSang had gotten himself out of Nie MingJue’s instruction before it had even started, and had left him as his only victim while he and Jiang Cheng sat off to the side. 

He had hardly been on the training grounds two minutes before the earth under Wei WuXian’s feet moved and he was high above the ground, each foot supported by a pillar only big enough for a single foot to stand on. “An earthbender must be able to stand steady, no matter what comes their way. If you lose your stance, if you lose your foothold, you lose your influence over the earth. You, as a waterbender, have been taught to always be ready to move. You are to be as fluid as water, your whole being moving along with the element you bend. Now, you shall learn to be more stubborn than the earth.” As soon as the words had finished being said, a strong tremor overcame the pillars, and he suddenly found himself unable to breath and on the ground. He lay there for a moment, coughing, dazed and unsure of how the world had flipped and how the sun was now directly in front of him instead of in the sky above.

“Get up!” Nie MingJue commanded, picking him up by his collar. As soon as he was back on his two feet, albeit unsteadily, the earth rose from under his feet again, then was suddenly beneath his back again. He felt a bruise begin to form to replace the beating he had gotten at the Cloud Recesses, and groaned as he sat up on his own this time. He wanted to tell Master MingJue that he could have at least waited for him to get a solid stance before he tossed him in the air again, but he didn’t dare speak against the other man. He was at his mercy, and for now, he was sure this was his good mood. He stood on shaky legs, but to his credit, when he was hoisted into the air again, he only wobbled. Unfortunately, when another rumble came, he found himself on his back again. 

“Take off your shoes,” the man commanded. 

“Wha-?”

“You can use the few seconds I give you to take them off on solid ground or you can waste that time asking stupid questions and take them off when I lift you off the ground again.”

Wei WuXian scrambled to kick his shoes off, and finished a single moment before he was towering over the training grounds again. The earth was hot beneath his feet, but not so hot that it burned. A few rocks poked at his soles, but they had long since been smoothed by time or by force. He took a deep breath, and looked down to find Nie MingJue looking up at him, arms crossed. He took a few steps around the columns that supported Wei WuXian, then looked up and asked: “Can you feel that? Pay attention this time.” He walked around once again, and Wei WuXian thought he felt the columns hum as he walked. “Your connection to the earth will always make you a better bender. You achieve that through your stance, but also your senses. Earthbending postures are tense because of the importance of the stance, which you can work to your benefit. Every movement your opponent makes first hits the earth, then it hits you. If you allow the earth to tell you how it is being molded, you gain the upper hand, but you need to be perceptive.” 

Wei WuXian was abruptly brought down again, but did his best to hold himself steady this time. Nie MingJue gave him an almost imperceptible nod in response. His own form of praise, he supposed. A sharp yank, and his hair was suddenly loose and his vision black. He reached up to find that he had been blindfolded with his own hair ribbon, then felt his body surge upwards for the fifth time. 

He did his best to stay standing without shuffling his own feet to steady himself, his body swaying this way and that before he finally straightened properly. He really hated this, but he couldn’t be said to not understand these methods. He just wished he could understand why such cruel methods were being used. He felt the dread surge in his chest. He was high off the ground on unsteady bits of rock, and blindfolded to top it all off. While he had already fallen numerous times, he at least had the illusion of control. Now, he felt he couldn’t breathe without thinking that one breath too deep would send him toppling over the edge. 

“Sense my movements. When you feel that I’m about to attack again, hold your stance and absorb the shock,” he heard Nie MingJue command, but he didn’t dare nod. 

This man was insane! No wonder Nie HuaiSang had said he would die under his methods. He held his breath as he felt Nie MingJue move around beneath him, his heart beating rapidly as he waited for the strike that would shake the columns and throw him off. 

The past time, he had attacked instantly, but this time, it felt as if he was waiting for him to drop his guard. Wei WuXian felt the subtle vibrations, and stood blindfolded for minutes until he thought he felt one of Master MingJue’s steps falter. That must have been it! He braced himself, and sure enough, the pillars quaked beneath his feet, but instead of him getting shaken off as he did the times before, he found that the tremors had passed through him, and he was left standing, but he didn’t dare celebrate. He was brought down abruptly, but stood well under that as well. He began taking his blindfold off, but was stopped by the booming voice of Nie MingJue. 

“Who said you were done?” A weight made of stone was shoved into his arms, and he was once again hoisted into the air. “Now that you finally didn’t fall flat when the earth shook, you’re going to need to do more than just stand there and wait. Shift the weight between your two hands! I want you to toss it back and forth. You won’t be coming back down unless you fall, or you can stay up there long enough for me to think you’re actually amounting to something.”

He was gonna die up here, Wei WuXian decided.

Still better than being at Koi Tower, he also decided. 

After getting knocked down several times more, Wei WuXian was finally able to swing the weight from one arm to another, his muscles burning in pain after being at it for so long and the painful bruises on his back ached with every stretch to catch and throw. When he was pulled back down again by Nie MingJue, he thought it had finally ended. The sun had begun to droop in the sky, as exhausted as he was. 

“You’ve done better than I thought you would in one day, but the day hasn’t ended.”

Wei WuXian ripped his blindfold off. 

“Master, this is too much!” Wei WuXian whined. “My arms and legs are numb and my back is so bruised, I’m sure it’s gone black.”

“Who told you to fall so many times! Take a stance. You chose to be under my instruction, and I  _ will _ have you mastering earth before the Fire Nation’s attack.”

“All this training will be useless if you end up killing me before they attack,” Wei WuXian shot back.

“Brother!” Nie HuaiSang ran up to Master MingJue, resting a hand on his arm. “This heat has me feeling faint,” he told him, swaying on his feet. Behind them, Jiang Cheng slowly approached, looking concerned for the boy. Wei WuXian shot him a questioning look that his brother answered with a shrug. 

“Then return to the palace,” Nie MingJue commanded, not shifting his attention from Wei WuXian, who felt an awful lot like his prey at the moment. 

“Avatar Wei WuXian is a gifted healer, what if I have a heat stroke! He must come with me! I don’t-“ Nie HuaiSang suddenly collapsed, barely being caught by Jiang Cheng, who looked just as baffled as the rest.

Nie MingJue growled in frustration, taking his brother from Jiang Cheng, and carrying him briskly into the shade. “Fetch my brother some water!” He said to a servant, who scurried away quickly, but not quickly enough for his liking. He scowled, and lay his brother gently on the ground. “Fan him,” he told Wei WuXian, before quickly disappearing into the building. 

Wei WuXian attempted to remove the fan from Nie Huaisang’s grasp, but the boy’s grip was surprisingly strong considering he was weak and unconscious. He made to tug on it again, but the grip seemed to tighten even more. He and Jiang Cheng exchanged a look. Jiang Cheng inconspicuously rested his hands on Nie HuaiSang’s shoulders, while Wei WuXian adjusted his grip on the fan. They gave each other a nod, then pulled in opposite directions, causing the other teen’s eyes to snap open when his fan was yanked out of his grasp. He reached for it, but couldn’t sit up with Jiang Cheng pressing down on his shoulders. 

“Truly a gifted healer,” Wei WuXian praised his talents as he fanned himself with his newly acquired fan. “I’ve awakened him without laying a single hand on him.” 

Nie HuaiSang whined, reaching up for the fan. “Avatar WuXian, that fan is beautifully crafted and the painting on it is worth more than your weight in gold! Give it back.” 

“I’ll give it back if you tell me why you pretended to collapse back then.” 

“Watching brother train is so boring. You’re the avatar, and all he’s doing is throwing you off rocks. He would never let me get enough time to ask you questions at this rate.” 

“And just what do you wish to ask the wise and almighty avatar?” Wei WuXian asked, continuing to fan himself. 

“You’ve only mastered one element! You hardly count as the avatar-“

“It’s more than what you've mastered! In fact, you should be calling me waterbending master Wei WuXian!” 

“You-!” Jiang Cheng growled, raising his fist to strike his brother, but froze when he heard the heavy footsteps on Nie MingJue returning. 

Nie HuaiSang went limp on the ground once again, Wei WuXian changed the direction of the fan so that it would blow a gentle breeze onto him, and Jiang Cheng pretended he was checking the boy’s temperature. 

The man reappeared carrying a wooden bucket that Wei WuXian had thought contained water for him to use on his brother. He reached out his hand to take it, but Nie MingJue promptly dumped the contents of it onto his brother, who, to his credit, didn’t even react. Wei WuXian was left startled, while Jiang Cheng let out a “Master-!”, but was stopped by the cold look Nie MingJue gave him.

“That’s enough training for today. Tomorrow we will focus some more on your stance and your senses,” he told him, leaving his soaked brother with the two waterbenders. 

“That man is insane,” Jiang Cheng mumbled when he could no longer be seen.

Nie HuaiSang sat up with a pout. 

“At least I was holding your fan,” Wei WuXian commented, handing it back. “Now we’ve done each other a favor. I’ve kept your fan safe, and you have saved me from a cruel, messy death.”

He pulled the water from Nie HuaiSang’s hair and clothes, leaving him dry once again, and letting the water splash onto the ground beside them. 

“The worst has yet to come,” Nie HuaiSang said with a wince. “But we can play now!” He told him, eyes gleaming with excitement. “What’s it like being the avatar? Can you feel the world shifting out of balance? Can you feel it in balance? Have you dealt with any spirits yet? Is it weird?”

“How could I possibly feel the world shift out of balance? And being the avatar is annoying. How would you like minding your business one day and suddenly being told you have to leave your comfy home and favorite sister and travel with your least favorite brother to be thrown around like a agh-!” Wei WuXian cried out when his brother pelted him with the water he had just removed from Nie HuaiSang. “At least ShiJie knows how to heal!”   
“Just heal yourself with that water you brought from the Cloud Recesses! Isn’t that why you took it?” Jiang Cheng responded. He dusted himself off and stood. “If I’m such an unwanted person to have brought along, I’ll be retiring to my room.”

“Wait! It was a joke! Brother don’t go!”

“Young master Jiang, you don’t have to leave! I want to know about you, too! What’s Lotus Pier like?”

“Why don’t you just ask Wei WuXian?” He scoffed, but didn’t walk away just yet. Nie HuaiSang stood along with him. 

“That’s different, that’s different!” He insisted, without actually explaining how. In the end, it did seem to appease Jiang Cheng, and he stayed and talked with them.

*********

The next weeks of training were a lot of the same thing. His stance was put to several tests, as well as his seismic sense. Throughout all that time, his bruises were never given enough time to heal before more were layered on top, but there was no way he was going to waste the cold spring’s water on something as small as a few bruises. 

Apart from the bruises, another thing that persisted was Wei WuXian’s dread about what he would do after he had mastered earthbending and had to find a firebending master. He knew he couldn’t possibly take Jiang Cheng into the Fire Nation with him, he just didn’t know how he would tell Jiang Cheng that, or how he could sneak away from Jiang Cheng without having his brother go out looking for him.

It was this current line of thought that led to him lying flat on the ground for what felt like the thousandth time in the span of a few days. He heard and felt the heavy footsteps of Nie MingJue as he came to stand over him.

He humphed, but didn’t seem as displeased as he usually did. “At least you didn’t jump out of the way,” he commented, sending a  _ look _ towards Nie Huaisang, who held his fan a little higher, fanned a little faster, and seemed especially interested in the sky at the moment the words were spoken.

“Watching birds again instead of paying attention?!” His brother bellowed, making Nie HuaiSang jump in his seat. “Again,” he told Wei WuXian. “Stand and hold your stance, and push back,” he commanded. The man walked away from him and returned to where he had previously been standing and waited for Wei WuXian to get into his position again.

Wei WuXian groaned as he stood, stepping aside to stand next to the boulder that was responsible for his newest bruise. Nie MingJue was ruthless, he thought to himself, holding his stomach for a moment before taking his stance. This time, when the boulder came, he was able to hold it in place. 

“Excellent! Push it back!” 

Wei WuXian shifted his other leg forward, and for the briefest moment the thought of breaking his hand on the rock flashed through his mind before he punched at the block of earth with a shout, sending it back to Nie MingJue, who shattered it when it got to him. “You’re well on your way, avatar,” Nie MingJue congratulated. 

“Well on my way to an early grave,” Wei WuXian responded, but gave a small smile and bowed, wincing at the pain the action brought. He thinks he might have been more excited about finally earthbending if he didn’t think the excitement would cause unnecessary pain. 

“Master XiChen tells me you need to master the elements in the next month and a half. Take your stance again; we’ll speed this process along.”

Another good reason not to be excited... 

Wei WuXian scoffed in disbelief, sending a look towards his brother and Nie HuaiSang for help, but noticed a billowing white cloth from the corner of his eye. 

“Lan Zhan!” He called out, seeing Lan XiChen and Lan WangJi being escorted to the training grounds by Meng Yao. 

Before he could say another word, he felt a powerful impact upon his chest and stomach and was thrown backwards. He felt himself skid across the ground for what felt like a powerless eternity before coming to a stop. He coughed a few times, and laid there until the stars disappeared from his vision. 

“Pay attention!” Nie MingJue roared, but Wei WuXian saw the concern that overtook the man as he took a hesitant step towards him. 

Wei WuXian sat up and waved him off to let him know he was fine, although Nie MingJue continued to watch him a bit longer before he could believe the boy was actually okay, nothing broken. It wasn’t until he finally pushed himself off the ground and stood that he turned away and approached the two airbenders and his advisor, while Jiang Cheng and Nie HuaiSang came to him. They stood on each side, hands hovering near his arms in case he hadn’t completely regained his footing.

He knew it was an accident. As hard as Nie MingJue had pushed him, he never meant to actually hurt him. He had probably hit a little harder this time because Wei WuXian had already succeeded once, and didn’t expect him to get distracted after his attack had already been made. Still, he was lucky to be in one piece.

Nie HuaiSang began to fan him uselessly, as if it would blow the pain away. He pushed him away and turned his attention to where Nie MingJue now stood with Meng Yao and the to Lans. 

“Brother, is he alright?” He heard Lan XiChen ask Nie MingJue, and took that as enough invitation to jump into their conversation, while Nie HuaiSang and Jiang Cheng hung back out of respect for the two masters. 

“I’m not!” He whined, fake limping over to the two airbenders and two earthbenders. 

“Avatar WuXian is very durable. I’ve seen him fall from tremendous heights, only to stand and fall again,” Meng Yao commented, only serving to alarm Lan XiChen more. 

“Only because I feared that if I didn’t stand Master MingJue would crush me with a rock,” Wei WuXian joked, finding it easier to speak freely around Nie MingJue than he had when he had first arrived. Even the glare his master sent him only served to make him laugh, despite the pain it caused.

“Not that it isn’t good to see you, Avatar WuXian, but I thought you had headed to Koi Tower to train there,” Lan XiChen said.

Wei WuXian responded with a shrug, earning a hard smack from Master MingJue. “Speak to your elders properly!” Wei WuXian cried out, and made a face at the man before standing straight and then dropping into a bow and holding it.

“This disciple thought the earthbenders at Koi Tower pretentious and lacking in skill,” Wei WuXian responded, overly polite, earning another glare from Master MingJue. “This disciple also destroyed their pond, courtyard, the engagement between Jin ZiXuan and Jiang YanLi and humiliated Lord Jin and is no longer welcome back, anyway.” 

He straightened up to find Lan XiChen staring at him in shock, opening and closing his mouth a few times in an attempt to respond. 

“You sound damn proud of it,” Nie MingJue commented, but made no move to reprimand him.

Wei WuXian couldn’t disguise his laugh of delight. “Lord GuangShan turned the same shade of red as his vermillion dot.” 

“Ignore the fool. What brings you to the Earth Kingdom, Master XiChen?” 

“Lan Zhan,” Wei WuXian whispered, and signalled for him to follow him a few steps further from the two masters. Lan WangJi only stared at him for a moment, but didn’t move. Maybe he had misunderstood? He signalled again for Lan WangJi to step away from the men, but still the boy refused to move, and he could feel Jiang Cheng approaching to tell him to stop bothering people.

Wei WuXian was just beginning to pout when Lan WangJi took three steps towards him. He could hardly believe it! He thought Lan Zhan hated him! Why was he willing to listen to him? Maybe he was just curious? No way, there had to be more discipline than that. It didn’t matter. Those three steps were all he needed to be out of the reach of Nie MingJue and Jiang Cheng.

He took Lan WangJi’s arm, and pulled him as fast as he could away from the others. He could hear Nie MingJue roar some enraged threats about doing sand sack throws and other painful training workouts later, but he couldn’t be bothered with that now. He laughed as he came to a stop outside the walls of the Nie Residence, even if his whole body ached. It was the most freedom he had had since he arrived. “Ah! It’s been so terrible here! All I ever see is dirt and rocks and boulders and that mountain.” 

Lan WangJi’s brows furrowed slightly, as if asking which of the several that surrounded the region he meant. 

Wei WuXian laughed at his confused expression. 

“Of course I mean Nie MingJue,” he replied, walking calmly beside Lan WangJi. “Sometimes I miss the colors I would see back home, you know? The lotus and the water that surrounded almost everything. The fish that swam in every color under the sun. Here it’s just brown everywhere. Everything is made of earth: the houses, the roads, the walls. And when I go to the Fire Nation, everything’s going to be orange and red! I can already feel my eyes burning,” he cried out, rubbing at his eyes.

“You’re going?” He heard Lan WangJi ask.

“I’m the avatar, aren’t I? I need to find a firebending master. Avatar Lan Yi said that there were good people everywhere, so I just have to find a good firebending master…” 

There was a prolonged pause after he spoke. 

They both knew the odds of actually finding someone willing to help at this point of the Fire Nation’s reign. War would start soon, and it was certain they would wipe out all who opposed; both within their nation or not. For a single, unrestrained moment, he felt he had to share his burden with someone, and Lan Zhan was someone that wasn’t close enough for him to feel embarrassed to say such things to, nor distant enough to not feel it was necessary to say them. He had been there with him when Lan Yi had appeared and spoken to him, and had heard his concerns then as well.

“I don’t think I should take Jiang Cheng with me,” he blurted out, but couldn’t stand the thought of answering any questions Lan WangJi might ask about that. He sped up his pace until he was a few steps in front of Lan WangJi. “But enough about me and my boring avatar stuff! How’s meditation and your uncle and BiChen?”

“Good,” Lan WangJi responded, but seemed to grow quiet, as if deep in thought. Wei WuXian didn’t dare turn to see if he was. 

“Did you bring BiChen?” He pushed, hoping he could see the bison again.

“Came on brother’s bison,” he responded.

“That’s too bad… I really wanted to see him. Bring him next time, okay? But it has to be soon, because I’m almost an earthbending master.”

Lan WangJi gave him a look. He knew it. He could  _ feel _ it, and even if he couldn’t, Lan WangJi had seen him get knocked flat on his back only minutes ago. 

“Well, soon enough, anyway,” he declared, turning to find his suspicions correct. “It’s not like I’ll never master it.”

Lan WangJi regarded him for a few seconds, raising his hand for a moment before dropping it. Wei WuXian stared at it for a moment, then looked up at Lan WangJi, tilting his head as if to ask what he meant to do. 

“Why did you destroy Koi Tower?” He asked, ignoring Wei WuXian’s inquiring gaze.

The two had stopped walking, and were standing in the middle of a narrow road. The sun still shone brilliantly over them, but in his stark white robes among earth and muddy colors, Wei WuXian thought Lan WangJi shone brighter. It was refreshing to look upon something so purely and spotlessly… pure. It took him a moment to remember that Lan WangJi had asked him something, and even longer to decide how to answer.

That’s to say… there were several, but none that he knew Lan WangJi would accept as justified. In the end, if Lan WangJi was going to think badly of him anyway, he might as well tell him the truth.

“I didn’t destroy it,” he flippantly responded. “Jin ZiXuan insulted my sister. I got angry, and attacked and so did he. We both destroyed it.” 

Lan WangJi continued to watch him, making Wei WuXian let out a huff. “I think Jin GuangShan is the bad people of the earthbenders, and it’s not bias that has me saying so! His students are rotten. Jin ZiXun challenged me to a spar and gave me no water to bend, Jin GuangShan showed me off all night as if I were a threat for the others to stay beneath him, and Jin ZiXuan and his followers spoke so cruelly about my ShiJie as if her only importance was that she was my sister. I didn’t feel like it was… my destiny to train at Koi Tower. Nie MingJue may be harsh, but he at least has my respect and has taken training me seriously since the first day.” He winced, rubbing his back. “Too seriously… Have you mastered airbending yet? Lan Zhan, by the time I’m done with fire, you need to be ready. I won’t have anyone else be my airbending master but you,” he said with a wink. 

“Ridiculous,” Lan WangJi mumbled, and turned to walk back the way they had come. 

“Hey, wait! Stay with me a little longer, Lan Zhan! If I go back, Master MingJue is going to turn me to dust! I’ve been training nonstop for weeks! Just until the sun sets and I can sneak back in unnoticed,” he pleaded. 

Lan WangJi didn’t turn, but he also didn’t move for a long while. Wei WuXian stepped up to him and held onto his sleeve for good measure, drawing his stare to him. 

“You didn’t want to come travel with me and Jiang Cheng. You can’t say no to me so much, Lan Zhan. Aren’t we friends?”

“We’re not,” Lan WangJi responded, and shook Wei WuXian off him, but still didn’t walk away.

Wei WuXian smiled at him, and began to walk in another direction, with Lan WangJi just beside him. “‘I lack discipline,’ is what Master MingJue says. That’s why I can’t get the hang of earthbending. It’s a little frustrating, and when I first started I really thought there couldn’t be any way that it would work, and I’ve thought it for weeks, but today I finally managed to make some progress. Maybe Lan Zhan is good luck,” he teased, and bumped his shoulder with the other boy, paying close attention to Lan WangJi’s features. “It’s a sign you should have come with me. Maybe I would have mastered earth by now if you had come. I only need air and fire for my team avatar, Lan Zhan. I think Nie HuaiSang would come with me. I’ve never seen him earthbend, but he’s close enough.” 

Lan WangJi continued to say nothing, and only walked beside him as Wei WuXian began to tell him about everything that had happened since he left the Cloud Recesses. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lan WangJi tryna figure out why wwx destroyed koi tower but not the cloud recesses when he said he hated both. He be planning their wedding, he just needs to make sure it works out.   
> This chapter was so long! I didn't even want to edit it, my little brother watched me for like three hours the other day working on it and when I was like "alright, I'm done for the day!" He was like "you didn't even do anything! I heard clack clack clack for like 5 minutes and then nothing for 40 and then it repeated!"   
> I have never felt more called out in my life... Anyway! Nie MingJue and Nie HuaiSang are two of my favorite characters, I hope I did them justice :D! Again, thanks for reading!


	6. Captured

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am still gettin nowhere with the fifth chapter there’s too many things goin on... But I do have this chapter ready, so if I do change anything after all, I’ll let y’all know in the chapter it matters for 😖. School started and while I do like this professor, she gives hw every other day, on top of hw for my other classes and the notes from the powerpoints i have to copy and two of my coworkers have been calling off their shifts for two weeks already. Ain’t got any kind of free time... but I hope u like it :D!!

Lan XiChen finished whatever business he had in the Unclean Realm in a day, and left as soon as Wei WuXian returned with Lan WangJi to the Nie Residence. They had come back a little after the sun had set, and normally he would feel bad for having made Lan XiChen wait, but the man looked nothing short of thrilled when they had finally passed through the walls of the estate. 

As much as Wei WuXian had tried to convince Lan WangJi to sneak in with him, the other boy had insisted that he needed to face his punishment. When Wei WiXian tried to argue again, he had claimed this was the discipline he lacked and the reason he couldn’t master earth. Wei WuXian had pouted and stomped his way into the Nie Compound beside a perfectly composed and aloof Lan WangJi.

When Nie MingJue began to scold him about neglecting his training and dragging Lan WangJi with him, Lan XiChen had told him that he need not be upset on his brother’s behalf; he could tell Lan WangJi was happy to have spent some time with Wei WuXian. Wei WuXian’s attention had quickly shifted to Lan WangJi, who had never looked angrier. He supposed Lan XiChen was a big brother with his duty to tease his little brother, too. 

*********

The worries he had voiced to Lan WangJi sounded louder once they had finally been spoken, and echoed in his head. He had no firebending master lined up, and without one, how could he possibly master air? He didn’t want to think about it. He didn’t want to worry about how he would get into the Fire Nation or find a firebending master and refused to resign himself to the fact that he would never have one. Lan Yi had been so sure that he could. Maybe it was that uncertainty that held him back from mastering earth, but it was only a few days of getting back into his old routine of getting knocked onto the ground nine times out of ten before he finally felt as if he gained his footing. 

He could tell Nie MingJue was getting more frustrated based on the intense exercises he had him doing from sunrise to sunset, and while he would normally be upset that Nie MingJue was being such a hard ass, he couldn’t help but feel guilty instead. The desperation in his actions helped Wei WuXian recollect himself, and decide that if he was the avatar, then destiny would help him find a firebending master. 

A few more weeks passed, and while the uncertainty had held him back, now he felt like it pushed him forward. He was really curious about his firebending master. Aside from that, the comet was only getting closer and he would need to master two more elements before that time. With his newly found determination, he also found that earthbending came much more naturally. Unsurprisingly, that didn’t make Nie MingJue ease up on his training; he showed him new moves, pushed his limits until he could lift several boulders larger and wider than himself at once. When they sparred, Nie MingJue had him remain blindfolded, until he could almost swear he could even feel every inhale from the man from across the training grounds. 

The soles of his feet had become rough and thick, and he felt he could step on glass and it wouldn’t even pierce the flesh. Every day after training, he would end up so covered in dirt and sand that a single pat to his clothing would send out a thick cloud of dust.

It was on one of his most intense training days, when he was sparring with Nie MingJue and two of his soldiers that he suddenly froze.

“I feel… as if something big was coming,” he told Nie MingJue. The earth had never shifted in such a way. It was as if something was under a thin blanket of earth, slowly creeping its way closer and closer just beneath their feet.

Nie MingJue was quiet for long enough that Wei WuXian hesitantly removed the ribbon from his eyes. The man was tense, looking out into the distance. He turned toward the direction Nie MingJue was facing-- towards the direction the rumbling came from. 

“To the walls!” The man suddenly roared, and the men that had been training around him quickly dispersed, heading to the city’s barrier. “Meng Yao!” He called out, looking agitated as he waited for the man, casting a glance at his brother.

“What is it?” Jiang Cheng asked as he approached, with Nie HuaiSang at his side. 

“The Fire Nation has come. Take HuaiSang and leave at once,” he commanded. “If you see Meng Yao, take him with you.” 

Wei WuXian was thrown back by the certainty in his voice. He hadn’t seen, nor could he see such a thing from where he stood. The Fire Nation wasn’t even meant to make a move until the comet, but he wasn’t stupid enough to question Nie MingJue. Besides, if the Fire Nation was going to make its move, no doubt the Unclean Realm would be its first victims. QingHe was at the foot of QiShan, and would be the closest, and easiest place to mobilize a large number of men to. And if it was the Fire Nation, Wei WuXian could at least stop them right now that they were at their regular power levels and protect the Unclean Realm. 

“If there’s a fight coming we can help! Master, I’ve gotten better!” 

“Brother, let the avatar help us!” Nie HuaiSang pleaded. 

“The avatar isn’t ready. If he gets captured now, there’s no more hope! Get away and find a firebending master,” he said, shoving Wei WuXian away. “There’s a hidden path out of the city, HuaiSang knows where it is. The Unclean Realm will not fall so easily to the Fire Nation. We are counting on you to restore balance. When this is all over, return, and I will teach you metalbending,” Nie MingJue said, finally turning to look at Wei WuXian. 

It was time for him to truly begin his path as acting avatar, Wei WuXian realized. If Nie MingJue hadn’t lost hope when he knew what was to come, then that meant he put his faith in Wei WuXian stopping Wen RuoHan. That meant he thought Wei WuXian was capable enough as the avatar to master the remaining elements in such little time.

“I will not fail you, master,” Wei WuXian said with a bow, pulling a devastated Nie HuaiSang along with him. 

“Brother! Let me stay with you!” he begged, dragging his feet. 

“You’ll only get in my way. Go with the avatar, and try not to get anyone killed,” his brother responded, not even bothering to spare him a glance as Jiang Cheng and Wei WuXian dragged him off, losing sight of him as he led the guards of their estate to the walls. Was he so sure they weren’t needed within the city because they wouldn’t make it in, or was he sure that there was no one left to protect within the palace when they had gone? Wei WuXian didn’t think of it long. 

He pulled Nie HuaiSang behind him, while the boy tried to convince Wei WuXian to stay and help. There was nothing he wanted more, but Nie MingJue had been right. He needed to keep moving. Besides, the earthbenders of the Unclean Realm were strong, and they had the advantage of metalbending.

After a quick detour to his room to retrieve the waterskin, he let Nie HuaiSang lead them to the route out of the Unclean Realm. He wasn’t sure how they had finally managed to convince him to keep moving forward, but they were at least sure he wouldn’t jump into a conflict head first given his earthbending ability. 

“I-It’s in the throne room, directly underneath-” 

All three boys froze in the doorway, watching as Meng Yao stood by while fire nation soldiers filed in from what was no doubt the tunnel Nie MingJue wanted them to use to escape safely. At his feet lay the same commander Wei WuXian had seen insult him the day he had first arrived, bleeding profusely.

“Bro-” Jiang Cheng and Wei WuXian quickly pulled Nie HuaiSang away from the entryway and into the hall and simply ran. 

They had no direction in mind, the shock and adrenaline telling their feet to just  _ go _ . They didn’t have time to stop. The fire nation army had made it into the Unclean Realm. They were  _ within _ the walls; within the Nie Residence, and they had been let in by someone Nie MingJue had trusted. Someone who had protected Nie HuaiSang from Nie MingJue’s rage and who had even, on occasion, convinced Nie MingJue to give him a break. 

Wei WuXian wasn’t sure whose feet stopped moving first, but it broke them all out of their trance. One by one the boys came to a stop outside of the walls that encircled the Unclean Realm. He wasn’t sure how or when they had gotten out. He didn’t know if they climbed over or under or broke through the walls, but when he turned, they were a distant sight that no longer towered into the skies and shielded them from the sun like they had been the first day he had arrived.

“We should keep moving,” Wei WuXian instructed, the first to come to his senses. 

Nie HuaiSang trudged along, looking as if his mind had been left back in the Unclean Realm, while Jiang Cheng looked shocked, with a slight quake to his words when he spoke. “They weren’t supposed to attack so soon. They were supposed to wait for the comet.”

“The earthbenders stand a strong chance against them. They aren’t nearly as powerful at the moment, and I’ve never heard of anyone successfully attacking the Unclean Realm,” Wei WuXian soothed. In his hands, he held his waterskin, turning it around as he wondered just who he would be using it on. The thought had never occurred to him. Why had he taken water from the cold springs? Who would he need to heal-- that is… who was he expecting to be so severely wounded that his own healing abilities would not be enough? This wasn’t a war that only existed in his head anymore. It had been brought to life and had stood before them. It was as if his fears had manifested when he had only just thought he had conquered them. 

“They had someone on the inside this time!” Jiang Cheng countered, snapping Wei WuXian out of his thoughts. 

“I can’t believe… Meng Yao would do that to us,” Nie HuaiSang mumbled. “We took him in… brother trusted him. He killed our general. How can brother be safe… when his enemy is behind him?” 

“The best thing we can do now is keep moving-“

“If they were so bold as to already show their true colors, how could you even hope to learn firebending now! We should head somewhere safe and regroup. A new plan… maybe you can skip fire! We should head to the Cloud Recesses and beg Lan QiRen to teach you airbending before fire. He’ll understand the reason behind it.” 

There was a loud roar from the forest that surrounded their current path that made them freeze. 

Had it been a windy day, they could have believed it was the wind pushing a tree with enough force that it collapsed and burst on impact, but the winds were as still as them, and the roar came again. 

He recognized the sound, but… it sounded a little different this time. If it really was… Wei WuXian took off running towards the noise, to Jiang Cheng’s frustration.

He heard the snap of twigs behind him, then Jiang Cheng’s voice. “You’ve just escaped danger only to go looking for it again?!” 

Wei WuXian ignored him, and continued running until the trail of broken trees led him to the injured beast he had told Lan WangJi he had wanted to see almost a month prior.

“BiChen!” Wei WuXian cried out, running to the injured animal. It let out another noise, more like a groan than a growl as he approached. 

“Lan WangJi’s bison?” Nie HuaiSang asked, slowing as he drew closer. 

“Hey… hey BiChen. Do you remember me?” He soothed, taking a cautious step towards him. “Stay back!” He told the other two boys. The closer he got, the more he could see the full extent of his injuries. Patches of snowy white fur were singed black and gray, and some parts had burned down to the flesh, leaving angry red and pink patches of flesh, primarily on his feet and, from what he could tell, under his tummy. 

As Wei WuXian came within steps of the creature, BiChen let out another noise that nearly broke his heart. “What happened? Where’s Lan Zhan?” He uncapped his waterskin, and coated his hands in some of the water. “You’ll be okay, BiChen. If Lan Zhan’s not here to take care of you, I will. You’ll be okay,” he reassured him, carefully resting his hands over one of the more serious burns. 

“But… where is Lan WangJi,” Nie HuaiSang asked, taking a step closer. 

“They’re strong. They’ll be fine,” Wei WuXian said, although he wasn’t sure who he was reassuring. 

This was all becoming so real so fast. If the Cloud Recesses had come under attack as well… if the airbenders weren’t okay- No, he needed to concentrate. BiChen was hurt, and this was something he had some control over. This was something he could fix of his own ability. 

He healed all the burns he could see before he cautiously circled BiChen, but, as he suspected, Lan WangJi was nowhere in sight.

Forget the elements! If he could just talk to animals for a single minute and find out how things got like this…

“I saw it come this way!” He heard a voice say. 

BiChen let out a low growl, and Wei WuXian did his best to shush him. 

“We have to go,” Wei WuXian urged. 

“On what? The bison? They’re actively looking for it! We could leave, and they would never know-“

“How could you say such a thing! We should leave you here!” 

“It’s not even your bison, and Lan WangJi doesn’t even like you.”

“They’re getting closer!” Nie HuaiSang said. Voice strained to stay as just a whisper despite his panic.

“Take this and BiChen and go!” He told Nie HuaiSang, handing him the half full waterskin. “Don’t drink that water,” he warned him. He soothed BiChen as Nie HuaiSang climbed onto his head. “We’ll hold them off while you two get away.” 

Nie HuaiSang looked unsure, but nodded, and commanded the bison into the sky. For the briefest second, Wei WuXian regretted his decision of giving Nie HuaiSang the water, but decided that there was no better time to practice his earthbending than in a life threatening battle. 

As soon as the firebenders broke through the trees and attempted to attack Nie HuaiSang and BiChen, he and Jiang Cheng, for all his protests, unleashed their own attack on the firebenders. They lasted long enough to hold them off until he was sure those two were out of reach, but Jiang Cheng was no waterbending master, Wei WuXian no earthbending master, and reinforcements came quickly and in the form of an entire platoon. 

They were forced onto their knees, hands bound as a man came to look at them. 

“An earthbender traveling with a waterbender. This one might be the avatar,” the man stated, but when Wei WuXian looked up to tell them that he was and they would be sorry for it, he saw that their attention was focused on Jiang Cheng. 

“Just because no one holds any interest in interacting with firebenders doesn’t mean the other nations have relationships so terrible that they don’t associate with one another!” Jiang Cheng mocked, and got a harsh slap for it. Wei WuXian struggled to free himself to retaliate, but was slammed face first into the ground and held there.

“Sir, they let the bison escape. There was someone else on it,” another of the men informed the commanding officer. 

“He was a nonbender! He would have been no use in a fight, so we sent him to safety,” Wei WuXian lied. “The bison just happened to be here when we arrived, and found it the most efficient way.”

His face was pulled up off the ground to face the commanding officer. He kept his head up, and his eyes locked on those of the man. In the end, the man broke his gaze first, looking Wei WuXian up and down. “Avatar or not, Fire Lord Wen RuoHan has ordered that all benders between the ages of fifteen and seventeen be taken to the Nightless City for indoctrination,” he turned with a wave of his hand. “Bring them along.” 

They were thrown onto the backs of komodo rhinos face down, the hard, jutting pelvic bone of the beast digging into Wei WuXian’s stomach the entire time they traveled by land. His hands were kept behind his back, a blindfold placed over his eyes, and his feet tied together. When the time came to travel by river, he could hear instructions be given for Jiang Cheng to receive the same treatment. 

A little under a week was what it took for them to reach the fire nation, but while Jiang Cheng was eventually unbound with the exception of his hands so he could walk, Wei WuXian remained with heavy restraints, carried onward until the thud of dirt under the soldier’s feet became became the  _ tap tap tap  _ of metal plates under them. The sounds echoed loudly, and even seemed to multiply as they were dragged further into what Wei WuXian could only imagine was a metal cage. 

Eventually, his restraints were pulled off, one by one; Opening his eyes was less of a strain than he thought it would be after they had been kept covered for so long. The room they were held in was dimly lit, and the shadows cast were plentiful. Other benders were being brought in every second, each looked around as soon as their eyes were good to see, taking in the familiar and unfamiliar faces all united in the strange new environment where they were currently being kept.

As Wei WuXian looked around, his attention was caught by something he knew he would be dreading the minute he was in Fire Nation territory. Wei WuXian knew things would be like this, but couldn’t help his annoyance. He let out a whine, stomping his foot a little. The fire meant to light the room reflected off the metal, and made everything glow orange! Even him! If only he had mastered airbending he could blow them out with one puff!

He would try anyway. 

He began to blow as hard as he could, and got a harsh jab at his side for his efforts. He made a face, and pressed his hand to his injured ribs, but when he turned, he found it was that peacock beside him, not Jiang Cheng! He got placed among the earthbenders! 

“What are you doing?” He scolded. 

Wei WuXian scowled, and looked away. He didn’t need to explain himself to him. 

“They sorted us according to our clothing. Where would they put me if I had worn all black,” he mumbled to himself, looking for Jiang Cheng, who stood two rows down from him with the waterbenders—some who he recognized from Lotus Pier and some he didn’t. He stood on his toes, and fidgeted about, trying to get a look at the airbenders to see if Lan WangJi was within their group. If BiChen got away, maybe he did, too. But the airbenders were lined up in rows beside the waterbenders in the order of air, water, earth. He jumped and stretched, but only earned another hard elbow to the ribs. He frowned, and was about to tell the stupid peacock to leave him alone, he didn’t want anything to do with him, anyway, but the other teen spoke first. 

“Stop drawing attention to yourself-“

“Is Lan Zhan here? Have you seen him? Is he okay?” He asked Jin ZiXuan, earning a bewildered silence.

“The avatar is among you, I’ve heard,” Wen Chao stated. At some point in his search for his brother and Lan WangJi, the man had entered the room and was currently stepping down from the stairs of the dais to be level with the other benders. 

Wei WuXian’s attention was quickly focused on him, and for a moment drawn to his brother. 

Jiang Cheng gave him a small shake of his head. Avatar or not, he had only mastered water and had just learned earth. He wouldn’t stand much of a chance against an entire company of firebenders and it would be especially bad if Wen RuoHan got a hold of him. He also couldn’t count on the help of other benders. There was not a single metalbender from the Unclean Realm in sight, and it was all they had to work with. He also knew that the airbenders couldn’t be counted on for unnecessary conflict. Wei WuXian snuck a glance at Jin ZiXuan, wondering why he hadn’t exposed him yet. He supposed it must have been because it would be bad if they had to wait for another avatar after he was killed.

“No? The avatar isn’t here? Waterbenders! Has your avatar died?” Wen Chao mocked. “But the earthbenders didn’t respond either, or the airbenders. Maybe I’m the avatar! Let me see if anything besides fire will come out.” 

The benders that had surrounded Wen Chao stepped down so that they were beside him once again and took their stance. The benders from every clan stepped back with the exception of himself, Jin Zixuan, and Lan WangJi. He was here! Whether he was happy, or upset at that knowledge, Wei WuXian didn’t know, but it was a relief to see him alive instead of wondering.

“Enough with the games! Why have you brought us here?” Jin ZiXuan demanded. 

“The avatar. Which one of you is the avatar?!” Wen Chao asked, getting no answer in return. “Kill every waterbender. He has to be among them-“

“You really think the water tribe would be stupid enough to send you the avatar along with everyone else?” Wei WuXian scoffed. “Chief Jiang isn’t that cowardly. And to top it off! You really brought everyone of the estimated age from other nations! Inconveniencing so many people, you really are shameless,” Wei WuXian reprimanded. “The only people you didn’t bring were the Unclean Realms metal benders, which…” he looked around at the metal that surrounded them completely. “I understand. You’re only tough when you leave us powerless. No water, no earth in sight-“

“Who says I didn’t bring any metalbenders?” Wen Chao asked, the smug look remaining as he waved for a man to come forward. He tensed, but pretended he didn’t recognize Nie MingJue’s chief advisor. The man gave them a passing glance as he approached, his eyes widening almost imperceptibly when he saw him, but he quickly recovered, the ever present smile never faltering. 

Wei WuXian didn’t understand his surprise. So, he betrayed Nie MingJue and the Unclean Realm, but had hoped the avatar hadn’t gotten caught? Was he just trying to destroy the Unclean Realm? What could he possibly have against Nie MingJue, and if he assisted the Fire Nation’s attack of the Unclean Realm, how could Nie MingJue or the Unclean Realm have survived? If he was going to get caught either way, he should have stayed! He should have fought alongside them, and maybe they’d have a chance.

“Do you see the avatar here?” Wen Chao asked him.

“He is not among the waterbenders, your highness,” Meng Yao responded with a hesitant smile. 

“No matter. Soon all three remaining nations shall be under the command of the fire nation, and our greatness shall spread across the world-“

Wei WuXian raised his hand, then proceeded to wave it when no attention was paid to him until Wen Chao was looking straight at him. 

“What is it, earthbender?” 

“Would the great fire nation happen to have a spare pair of shoes? I was captured while practicing my earthbending, and didn’t have a chance to put them on, and they got left behind. It’s dangerous to be walking around like this, with all that fire around,” he said, signalling to the fire in question. 

Wen Chao seemed irritated that his speech on the glory of the fire nation was interrupted, and stepped forward until he was just in front of Wei WuXian. 

“Such a savage element, and the savagery demonstrated in front of all to see. The fire nation will amend that. Bring the earthbender shoes, and consider this the first move towards civilizing the brutes,” he instructed one of the men behind him. 

Wei WuXian gave him a tight smile. “Thank you, I’m sure my kingdom will appreciate this.”

So, he really did think he was just an earthbender, Wei WuXian thought.

“But if you do act against the fire nation, our generosity will be cut short,” he said, face contorting. “Bring me that one,” he told one of his guards, pointing at a random waterbender as he stepped away from Wei WuXian and to the front of the room again. 

All eyes were suddenly on a single waterbender who was dug out of the group, and dragged to stand before a man that stood just beside Wen Chao. 

“I give you permission to waterbend,” Wen Chao told him with a smile, one of his men bringing forward a small bowl of water. Not nearly enough for it to be useful against this many soldiers, even if it was Wei WuXian who had been presented with the opportunity. 

Pride was a trait that plagued many benders, and it seemed to have infested this one. Maybe he thought he should kill as many firebenders as he could, or maybe he really did think he stood a fighting chance. Whatever it was that made him act so recklessly, it urged him to try and kill Wen Chao surrounded by soldiers with a single cup of water. 

The ice had just begun to form when the man beside Wen Chao shot forward and subdued him, then held him in a strange position until the boy simply slumped forward. 

Wen Chao presented another small bowl with water, and urged him onward. “Try again,” he laughed, and for all that Wei WuXian thought he wouldn’t be stupid enough or have energy enough to do it, he saw the boy try.

But…

Nothing happened. 

The water remained in the bowl, much to the waterbender’s efforts. He tried several times, becoming increasingly more panicked as nothing happened. He tried long after the gathered benders had come to the same conclusion. 

He had his bending taken by Wen ZhuLiu. He regarded the man, and didn’t know what emotion he felt, but knew that this would make matters very complicated later on. 

But that was still a problem for later. Right now, the waterbender was acting like a wounded animal.

Wei WuXian stepped forward, wanting to pull the devastated teen away before he did something drastic, and got himself killed, but Jin ZiXuan’s grip tightened painfully on him, and he whispered to him. “Don’t make things dangerous for the others.” 

“I’m trying to keep him from making things dangerous for himself,” he hissed back. He pulled free and took cautious steps forward under the stares of Meng Yao, Wen Chao, and Wen Zhuliu. He didn’t take his eyes off of them, even as he pulled the weeping boy off the ground and back into the crowd with him. 

“You don’t yet understand the greatness of the fire nation,” Wen Chao continued his earlier speech. “I’ll make sure you learn our history so that you understand why you must submit.” 

With that, Wen Chao turned and left, followed by Wen Zhuliu, and, a moment later, Meng Yao. The men that remained handed out scrolls to each of them before herding them into cells made of metal by the threat of vicious flames if they didn’t move fast enough. Wei Wuxian felt angry, yet powerless. Nie MingJue hadn’t gotten around to teaching him metal bending before they were attacked and the Unclean Realm was invaded.

He cursed the days he had struggled with himself. 


	7. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fellas 🥺. Are there even more peacocks in the ATLA Universe 🥺? It just occurred to me that i forgot to check and now I don’t wanna 🥺. In case I wrote this whole fic with wwx calling jin zixuan an animal that doesn’t exist. Also, I'm strongly considering adding Xue Yang to the story... If I do, this fic might be a little longer. Anyway, enjoy this 7k word update that took me way too long to edit.

Wei Wuxian remained awake the entire night, wondering when they would realize he was the avatar and come to take his bending away and… well he was already taken prisoner, he couldn’t be taken prisoner twice by the same nation at once, right? Instead, he read the scroll given to him, trying to find something worthwhile in their past, but found that details had been changed, and even Avatar Wen Mao’s disapproval of their attempts to invade other nations were manipulated to seem as if his previous incarnation had only thought it not the right time.

The next morning, they were pulled out of their cells and fed a meager meal before being assigned separate locations to report to. Wei WuXian was sent along with the earthbenders to a shipyard, and knew nothing of where the remaining two groups were sent. 

He knew the purpose of this was to extort them for manual labor while the Fire Nation had them in custody in an environment they were powerless in, but to have positioned them right beside a river! 

Wei WuXian recognized this river, too. It would flow directly into Caiyi Town, just twenty miles away from the Cloud Recesses. His fingers just twitched to unleash the full force of a flowing river on the soldiers that watched over them as they hammered at the ships, but he knew better.

Patience was crucial if he wanted to make sure that everyone made it out alive. He didn’t know where the air and waterbenders were being kept, and he didn’t know if he could find them before the fire nation soldiers standing guard over them figured out what was going on. Maybe he could “fall over” into the water and take that water back with him? Would they be stupid enough to bring a soaking wet prisoner to the same place as waterbenders? Maybe they wouldn’t see it as a threat? 

But how could he possibly feign falling into the river when their path was too far for him to casually fall into it? 

He had a single month until the comet would come, and he certainly didn’t plan on spending it in Fire Nation custody the entire time! He still needed to master fire and air. He had tried to ask one of the soldiers the mechanics of firebending once, but the man had said that if he didn’t shut his mouth and keep working, he would give him a lesson firsthand. He made a face at the him, but got back to work. 

As for the history lessons they were promised, they mostly consisted of Wen Chao reciting Fire Nation propaganda while not really delving too deep into the actual history-- or even the manufactured history from the scrolls they had been handed. 

Of course, he realized Wen Chao’s excuse of this mass kidnapping had been for the purpose of educating and disciplining all benders was just that, an excuse. What hadn’t occurred to him was that he would really just use hundreds of benders from across the three nations of all ranks and social standing as free labor. His sympathy was only towards the more beautiful female benders, where he extended a hand in the form of breaks, water, and orders from guards to leave them at peace if they fell behind. Naturally, his interest also meant his attention, which was nearly unshakeable the days that Wang LingJiao was absent, and even more worrying the days she wasn’t. The woman had thought herself deserving of everything simply because she was in Wen Chao’s interests for the time being, and had taken to punishing the benders she thought weren’t looking as awed as she thought they should at Wen Chao’s nonsense. The targets she repeatedly accused were obvious. 

The main victim of both of their harassment was a girl he had heard being called MianMian, so Wei WuXian had stuck close to her, much to her annoyance when he had first begun. Wei WuXian could tell from her posture and tone that she had thought him to have the same intentions as Wen Chao. It wasn’t until he had managed to interrupt Wen Chao one too many times, insisting he didn’t understand this, or how were they meant to do that, or how did the Fire Nation come to its former glory-- all questions that would either enrage the man, or that were something he could not punish Wei WuXian for asking in front of the others without completely contradicting himself. He could tell every time he was furious to the point of wanting to strike Wei WuXian because the flames in the room would flare up, and the room would become a furnace. He didn’t think that was on account of his actual ability, but was more of a conscious act, like an animal trying to make itself look bigger. 

Wei WuXian, however, was still punished for his meddling, given harder tasks, less water, and suffered more abuse from the soldiers than the others. 

It would have been an actual bother... if he hadn’t trained with Nie MingJue immediately before having arrived. As it stood, he could endure rather well, and his friendship with MianMian developed, although the girl insisted that he was more of an annoyance than anything with his insincere flirtations and constant teasing. 

He hadn’t truly gotten the chance to speak with his brother, but the few times he had, it was evident that he had seen the way he had been interacting with MianMian. He had scolded him about not taking things seriously when there was so much at stake the brief second they had to talk while they walked past each other one day. Wei WuXian’s smile had faltered at that. 

It wasn’t like he wasn’t trying! He just hadn’t thought of a way to get any water or earth into the room, and he knew the airbenders wouldn’t act until they knew for certain the others would escape safely.

His revelation came to him on an especially hot day, as he hammered away at a warship and wiped the sweat from his brow, and saw the droplets that dotted the back of his hand. He looked around immediately, noticing the sweat that soaked into the clothes and hair of the earthbenders. He let out a breath of laughter in complete disbelief. He had wondered how he would bring water or earth back with them, when they were covered in a bendable element every day they had returned! And there were hundreds of them! The only problem was for them to stay sweaty long enough for them to have gone back so it could be useful.

A small, eager smile spread on his lips, and remained there the remainder of the day, up until the point they had been gathered in that furnace room once again. He just needed to turn up the heat… He said a small apology to the others in his head, and decided to dive into his plan straight away. He didn’t need practice or preparation to get under someone’s skin. 

When they returned to stand before Wen Chao for his sermons, Wei WuXian raised his hand. Then he waved it around as Wen Chao continued to ignore him, then jumped as he did both until Wen Chao shot his full attention, glare and all, at him.

“Prince Wen Chao,” Wei WuXian flattered, stepping forward until he was at the steps of the dais. He pretended he didn’t notice Wen Zhuliu taking a step forward and kept his posture relaxed. “You never spoke of the history of the Fire Nation, so what was the point of handing us those scrolls? We never learned how Wen Mao, your own ancestor, stopped the civil war within the Fire Nation, and even brought prosperity throughout the land by reestablishing his brother as the king, the expansion of Fire Nation’s forces into smaller villages at the borders, or how Wen Mao died regretting standing behind his own family during your civil war-“

“What disrespectful, traitorous things are you spouting?! Stop at once!” Wen Chao commanded, practically jumping out of his throne, and sending Wang LingJiao tumbling onto the ground. The torches that encircled the room flared violently, doubling in size. 

Wei WuXian did his best to look innocent, looking around as if he didn’t understand who he was talking to. 

“Did this one remember the history incorrectly?” Wei WuXian responded, taking on the same overly polite tone he had when he was messing with Nie MingJue. He pretended to think about it for a moment, wrinkling his brow as if in thought. “No, Avatar Wen Mao really did condemn the Fire Nation for attempting to throw the nations out of balance, and for being the one responsible for such a tyrant. He even-” 

“Lies told by the other nations to support their rebellion and jealousy! Tell me, earthbender, were you there all those years ago to back up your claims?” He seethed, pointing a finger at Wei WuXian as he took a step closer, the flames growing again until they seemed to reach the ceiling. 

Wei WuXian almost laughed at that. He wished he was in a situation to be able to tell him that he had in fact been present at the time and had been the very avatar that had spat on their tyranny. Alas, he could not and only shrugged with a pout as he looked to the ground to hide the smile curling on his lips. 

But it really was too good! To ask the only person that had been there in the whole world if they had been there! In the end, he couldn’t hold in his laugh, and felt a wave of heat just in front of him. 

His head snapped up to find that the approaching flames were being restrained by a strong burst of wind, the source of which stood at his side, sweating profusely, as he was sure his fellow prisoners were. Lan WangJi spared him a glance when the fire dispersed, and Wei WuXian responded with a brilliant smile that turned mischievous when he turned to Wen Chao. 

He took a step closer to Wen Chao, and thrust out his arms, eliciting a chorus of crashes and thunks on metal as the soldiers that lined the walls of the room were impaled by shards of ice. He heard the cries of surprise from the living all around him, but he didn’t stop to check their reaction. He spared Lan WangJi a glance, earning a small nod back, and the two got to work bringing down firebenders by the dozen. Wei WuXian had thought this would be much quicker than it was, but reinforcements came in waves, and they couldn’t hope to keep up their efforts without risking the lives of others. Lan WangJi was the first to surrender, even while Wei WuXian continued to fight. It wasn’t until he heard the panicked cries of the others and the thunderous boom of the metal armor of the firebending soldiers that he let his element drop.

“Don’t hurt them!” He said, taking a step closer to Wen Chao, drawing the screams of his fellow prisoners. He turned to find them backing closer to the center as the firebenders continued to shoot fire at their feet, corralling them, even Lan WangJi, who had stepped closer to the others when he had stood down. “This was my doing, punish me!” 

“I need you alive, avatar,” he sneered at him, and Wei WuXian realized the gravity behind his miscalculation 

“Kill the girl he’s always around,” Wang LingJiao helpfully chimed in, making no attempt to hide the absolute delight she took in putting up another person’s life for the sake of her vanity and jealousy. From her spoiled behavior he had been a witness to the days he had been in the Fire Nation, this was the most callous and frivolous of people he had seen. His only joy was knowing that she and Wen Chao must suffer each other’s presence.

The sound of a girl screaming caught him and pulled him back from his anger, and he quickly spun around to see an airbender had taken MianMian by the wrists and was attempting to pull her out of the crowd and to the soldiers. 

Lan WangJi and Jin ZiXuan were quick to intervene, and push MianMian behind themselves. 

The smile on Wen Chao’s lips became an ugly snarl when he didn’t get what he wanted, and he let out an angry shout as he sent out a burst of flames towards his gathered prisoners, his attack followed by the guards that surrounded them. Again, Lan WangJi dispersed it, although Wei WuXian noticed that he still had the limp he had first noticed when he had arrived. The attack lasted a second before Wen Chao raised his hand in a call to the soldiers to desist. 

Wei WuXian didn’t know why, but this made Wen Chao let out a horrid bit of laughter. He let his guard down to face Lan WangJi to see his posture was tense. His jaw and fists were clenched, and he looked to be trembling from strong emotion. It was the most expressive Wei WuXian had seen him, and he hadn’t a clue as to the cause. Was it MianMian? He wondered, but he didn’t have to wonder long. Wen Chao seemed all too happy to disclose what had happened between the two nations and the look of hatred Lan WangJi’s eyes held when he looked at him.

“Maybe if you and your people had fought back like this, the Cloud Recesses and its inhabitants would have survived,” he mocked. The words were like ice in his veins.

“What did you do to the Cloud Recesses?” Wei WuXian asked, taking a step forward.

Any fear he had for Wen Zhuliu had long since vanished. The man wasn’t going to step out of Wen Chao’s arm’s reach to attack him, and he didn’t seem to show any bending abilities. 

“Wei WuXian!” Jiang Cheng warned. It was the first he had heard from his brother through all this, although he was sure it wasn’t the first time he had called for him. He hated the look on Wen Chao’s face; he hated the amusement Lan WangJi’s pain and his own reaction seemed to draw.

“They’re an inferior element. Pacifists, not even willing to fight, only to redirect. It was easy,” Wen Chao taunted, as if it were all a game. As if he didn’t believe anyone could do a single thing to stop him.

Wei WuXian felt himself shake with anger. His hands were clenched, and he thought he might lose himself if it weren’t for the grip on his arm. He looked up to see Jiang Cheng had grabbed hold of him and was beginning to pull him back to the others. The soldiers had changed the direction of their stance so that every firebender stood ready to strike Wei WuXian, not that he had noticed.

“You’re going to pay for that,” he snarled out between clenched teeth. 

Wen Chao tsked, shaking his head. “You’ll learn your lesson just like the air nation.” 

“What did you do to them!?” Wei WuXian repeated, pulling away from Jiang Cheng. 

He could feel anger building inside of him, and the faces of all the others blurred. It was just Wen Chao standing in front of him. Not even his brother could be spared a thought or glance.

Wen Chao’s smile persisted as he glanced at the handful of airbenders he had gathered. “There stand the last of the airbenders and their civilization.”

Wei WuXian didn’t know what happened next. 

His vision was just beginning to come back to him, as well as his senses. A firm hand was holding onto his bicep, and suddenly the ground was beneath him again; and suddenly there was the sound of a bell tolling, deep and urgent. Around him were the remains of the soldiers that had a second ago been standing. Him, Lan WangJi, and Jiang Cheng were the only three people still in the hall, although Jiang Cheng stood a fair distance away, coming out from where he had sensibly taken cover. 

“Wei Ying!” Lan WangJi urged from beside him, his voice so hoarse Wei WuXian wondered how long he had been calling out to him. He felt a tug on his arm, and was surprised to see it was Lan WangJi’s own hand on him, bringing him back from what he could only assume was the avatar state. 

He blinked away the last bits of darkness from his vision, and felt his body give out under him, as if still unaccustomed to its own weight. Only the strong hand on his arm kept him from collapsing completely, and soon there was another on his other arm. Jiang Cheng stood on the other side, and between the two they helped him up.

“That was a stupid thing you did, and it would have been worse if you weren’t the avatar,” he told him. 

“Did I kill him?” Wei WuXian asked hopefully. 

“He escaped the second your eyes began to glow,” Jiang Cheng spat out. “The others got away when the firebenders turned all their attention to you. We should meet with them so that we can all get out together.” 

Wei WuXian nodded, and shook himself free of both of the arms on him as he regained his footing and led their group of three out of the room and through the halls. He wondered if the airbenders or waterbenders had ever been allowed out, but it might have been too easy for an airbender to escape when there wasn’t a labyrinth keeping them caged up, and they were too close to a river for the waterbenders to be exposed to it, supervised or not. 

As they passed another dimly lit hall, it occurred to Wei WuXian to steal some of the lanterns and torches that lined the walls, since night was surely already upon them. Jiang Cheng quickly caught on, but Lan WangJi took no part in their theft. 

He didn’t think it counted… They had their own fire, anyway! 

The torches were extinguished, but they kept the lanterns lit to relight them and, obviously, to see. Once they had made it out, the pitch darkness was shattered in small bursts by the fires that illuminated the watchtowers of the metal prison and the small halo of light they held in their hands. It was a wonder how the others had made it out, but not like they could move slowly. The bell continued to toll and he was sure every firebender that had survived would be sent out after them. 

Wei WuXian pressed his lanterns and the torches he held into Lan WangJi’s hands as he hopped around, pulling off one shoe at a time until he was barefoot once again. Lan WangJi’s confusion was illuminated by the orange glow of the fire, and Wei WuXian thought it was the prettiest the reflection of the fire had looked in all his time in the Fire Nation. 

He caught himself staring a little too long, and gave Lan WangJi a smile and nod in ‘thank you’ for holding his things, but didn’t take them back just yet. 

He took his stance, then brought his bare foot hard against the ground, and felt it respond to his inquiry: a cacophony of several stomping feet moving away in a hurried pace. 

“This way,” he told them, taking his stolen belongings back from Lan WangJi. 

They ran a short distance, having the advantage of being able to see, before they caught up to them. In retrospect, he should have called out to the group of benders to let them know they weren’t Fire Nation, because as soon as they heard them approaching, the earthbenders unleashed an attack against them that Wei WuXian hardly had time to respond to. On impulse, he dropped everything he was holding to burst through the attacks, turning to check on Jiang Cheng and Lan WangJi to make sure they weren’t hurt.

“Look what you did! Are you and your earthbenders part viper bat? Can you see in the dark?” He scolded Jin ZiXuan as he and Lan WangJi saved what they could of the torches, picking around the mess of glass, oil, and flames. “And after Lan Zhan went through all that trouble stealing them,” he teased, looking up to see Lan WangJi’s expression. 

He laughed when Lan WangJi sent him a glare in the same glowing orange. 

“Lord Avatar,” one of the scared earthbenders addressed him. “What do we do now?” 

Wei WuXian looked up to find the eyes of every bender present on him. He turned and saw that even Jiang Cheng and Lan WangJi were looking at him. 

Wei WuXian stood slowly. Clothes tattered and barefoot they looked to him for direction. They wanted him to lead them when he himself didn’t know where he had to go, but they had to go somewhere. Wen Chao wouldn’t be far behind them. 

“We should keep moving first,” he tried to soothe, and distributed the torches that had survived doing his best to extinguish the fire and bury any trace of it. 

He and Jiang Cheng were the first to begin walking, ending up at the front of the group before any of the others began to move. There wasn’t much of the moon left in the sky, and between the benders that had gotten out, the single lantern and handful of torches hardly helped. 

At the very least, their meager lighting made the approaching firebenders appear as bright as the rising sun. “Go!” He urged the others, and began to run, allowing himself to lag behind until he was once again bringing up the rear. He shot back bits of earth as he ran, but quickly realized it had set him back further and further each time. He had to stay mobile, and the earthbending posture was too stiff. He couldn’t even hope to make any kind of impact with water against this many firebenders. He decided he would keep moving, and if earthbending took to his movements, then good. If not, he would stop attacking and at least run faster than if he continued. 

He ran until he thought he could feel the vibrations of the earth a little too well to be comfortable and spun, punching out a block of earth with one foot and kicking it forward with the other. To his amazement, it had bended just like water, with the exception of the second where he had take take a proper stance, but he was able to quickly and easily shift out of it to attack and begin running again. Still, they couldn’t run forever with a group as large as theirs and have any hope of escaping. 

Their salvation came in the form of what he hoped was a  _ large  _ cave. “Into the cave!” He called out, sending out another quick attack. The entire group changed their direction, resembling a group of birds in their motion. 

Once they had made it in, Wei WuXian urged them deeper in and gathered the earthbenders for assistance. It seemed that they already knew what he was thinking, under their combined strength, the mouth of the cave collapsed, trapping them inside but, more importantly, trapping the soldiers outside. The few torches they had were the only useful things in their possession at the moment, but given that they didn’t know when or how they would leave, it wasn’t ideal to have them all lit at once. 

“Extinguish half of the torches! We should light them when the other half begin to die,” Wei Wuxian instructed. 

“Wonderful plan,  _ avatar _ . What are we supposed to do now that we’re trapped?” He sneered. “We escaped the fire nation, now we are free to rot here?” 

Wei WuXian saw Lan Wangji take a step forward, but stopped when Jiang Cheng stepped in front of Wei Wuxian. 

“Are you helpless?” Jiang Cheng asked, looking him up and down. He scoffed, turning away, not even bothering to look at him as he spoke. “Besides, I’m sure the fire nation wouldn’t kill you. You’d keep offering someone else’s life for your own like you did just then with the earthbender girl, and when you ran out you’d make a perfect fool.” 

“It is no wonder he thinks he shall die here. He knows that whether we are here or not,  _ he _ would not be able to request our help after what he has done,” Jin Zixuan added. 

Wei WuXian stepped forward, along with MianMian, placing themselves between the three. “We should move forward before the torches go out,” MianMian urged. 

“Besides, the smell of blood might draw predators!”

The boys reluctantly pulled away from each other. 

“Peacock! This was once your territory, wasn’t it? Do you know where it leads?” 

“This cave… is considered a labyrinth. No matter the skill of the earthbender, the cave changes so often that anyone could become lost. It’s a place cursed by spirits. We would be told stories of the spirits who weave the maze as children to keep us away, but there is another entrance on earth kingdom territory.” 

“Do you think the curse could stand a chance against your earthbending?” Wei WuXian challenged. 

Jin ZiXuan turned away, clearing a path that would let them continue forward. “Of course not.” 

They continued on that way, moving straight, with the earthbenders clearing through. With every passing minute, Wei WuXian noticed Lan Wangji falling further and further behind. Jiang Cheng noticed his attention, and pulled him to walk faster and further from him. 

“Do not cause trouble,” he scolded. 

“What more trouble could I cause? He needs help; he’s clearly hurt,” he responded, glancing back.

“The important thing is  _ your _ survival.  _ You _ can stop the fire nation, but you need to be alive to do it.” 

“I think the spirits are stopping us quite well considering they are not alive, and besides, Lan Zhan is one of the best airbenders! He could be my master when the time comes!” 

“There are plenty of airbenders left to teach you!” Jiang Cheng argued, drawing the attention of an earthbender beside them. 

“You didn’t hear?” He said, shifting his gaze between Lan Wangji to the two waterbenders. “The Cloud Recesses were burnt down by the fire nation. A handful of airbenders survived.” 

“Is that how he hurt his leg?” Wei WuXian asked.

“Wen Zu ordered the airbenders to destroy their own temple, beginning with the avatar monuments in the statue room. Lan Wangji refused and was attacked. Then, the Fire Nation ordered the airbenders to come here as well, it’s a wonder that he can walk at all.”

Wei WuXian’s steps faltered, and he looked back at Lan Wangji. “I’m going to go help him.”

“Leave him alone! He doesn’t even like you, you’ll only upset him!”

Wei WuXian ignored his brother, walking back to Lan WangJi. 

“Lan Zhan, get on my back! I can carry you,” Wei Wuxian said, stepping in front of the boy, who only spared him a glance before continuing to limp. Wei WuXian frowned, but didn’t give up. “Then, at least let me see your wound so that I may heal you,” he said, dropping to the ground in front of Lan WangJi, and trying to pull his robes and pants up. The cave should have enough moisture for him to pull out of the air to heal Lan WangJi.

“Wei Ying!” Lan WangJi cried out, stumbling backwards. 

Suddenly, it felt as if it went deathly silent. Wei WuXian slowly stood, looking around them, and noticed that the other benders looked as if they were on guard as well. The cave forked, providing three different paths before them, and one behind, and from somewhere the origin of the echoing shrieks came. 

The group drew close, with the earth and airbenders surrounding the waterbenders who were at a disadvantage. Wei WuXian took his place with the earthbenders and airbenders, standing in front of Lan WangJi.

“What if we’ve angered the spirits?” Someone whispered, a tremor to their voice.

“Then we have the avatar to placate them,” Jin ZiXuan mocked and Jiang Cheng scoffed.

“In all the time I’ve known Wei WuXian, he’s only ever made things worse and people angrier,” Jiang Cheng added, drawing hums and the general noise of agreement from the waterbenders. Wei WuXian clucked his tongue at their accusations and sent them a look, but his attention was pulled back by the continuing noise. 

The screeches became louder and louder with every passing second, until they had manifested into a physical being. 

Dozens of wolf bats surrounded them. The benders took their stance, a tight circle surrounding the waterbenders, and those who had sustained injury from Wei WuXian or the firebenders earlier. 

He was the first to attack, summoning a piece of earth from the ground with a stomp, and kicking it towards a group of wolf bats. The other air and earthbenders quickly followed his lead, and their attack continued until the ground began to shake, causing the wolf bats to flee.

“What’s happening?” Jiang Cheng asked, looking overhead to the rumbling cave. 

“We must’ve pushed the structure of the cave too much, it’s going to collapse!” Jin Zixuan said. 

“Go!” Wei WuXian cried out, commanding the others into a hard sprint as they fled through one of the tunnels. He almost turned to follow them, but looked back towards Lan WangJi. He wouldn’t be able to move fast enough, and the cave was crumbling at a rapid pace. 

He picked him up onto his back, dropping his own torch, leaving only Lan WangJi’s to light the way, and ran towards the same tunnel the others had gone through, only for it to become blocked by the collapsing cave. Not willing to waste time or put Lan WangJi down to earthbend to clear the way, he ran to the closest available tunnel, not stopping until the noise wasn’t even a hum in the background. He gently put Lan WangJi down, and sat down beside him, leaning in close so that the light of the torch would let him look over Lan WangJi for injury. 

“I’ll have to thank Nie MingJue when we get back,” he joked, finally leaning back when he didn;t see a single bruise or scrape. “He used to make me carry around boulders twice my size whenever I would piss him off. It’s how I was able to run so fast.” He laughed and winked at Lan WangJi, who was looking straight ahead. 

“How’s your leg?” Wei WuXian asked, scooting closer to him once again. 

“It’s nothing,” Lan Wangji responded, but Wei WuXian paid him no mind, and lifted his robe to inspect his leg. It had been burnt severely. He was shocked, but made quick work of tearing a piece of his own robe and pulling water out of the air of the damp cave, setting his water coated hands gently over the burn, eliciting a glow as it healed. “My shijie is a much better healer. She taught me some because Madame Yu wouldn’t, but I’m not too good at it. Madame Yu said I lacked the tact to be able to heal anyone well. I think I would have if she taught me, but I was beyond grateful for the time ShiJie spent teaching me, so I could do nothing but listen and try my best,” he smiled up at Lan Wangji, whose eyes had closed, head tilted back to lean against the wall behind him. He had to pull his eyes away from the way the glow cast a gentle shadow over Lan WangJi’s face, making his jawline, cheekbones, and adam’s apples more pronounced. 

When he had done the best he could, he replaced the water with the scrap of fabric, wrapping it snuggly around his leg. 

“There! All set! All in a day’s work for the avatar,” Wei Wuxian smiled at him. 

Lan Wangji opened his eyes slowly, and stared at Wei WuXian, who fidgeted under his gaze. 

“I know, I’m not doing a good job so far, but I just started!” He pouted, looking away. “I think you would be a better avatar, too.” He smiled, and turned back to look at him excitedly. “Lan Zhan! I think you would look good as a waterbender! It would be really cool! Even if you’re not, you should come to Yunmeng with me! We can play together and-“

He saw Lan Zhan’s expression shutter again. 

“After I go to the Cloud Recesses and finish mastering the elements of course,” he mumbled, looking away. 

“Impossible. The Cloud Recesses were burnt down,” Lan Wangji whispered, not even looking at him as he spoke. 

“But… Not completely, right?” He asked, hoping what the earthbender had said had been exaggerated rumors. 

Lan WangJi didn’t respond.

“What about your father? And your brother? Are they okay?” He asked, wanting to take Lan Wangji’s hands in his own, but only daring to tug at his robe.

“Brother is missing. Father doesn’t look like he’ll make it. They killed all the bison they could.” Then… that’s why they had found BiChen in the condition he was in. That’s why they had found him without Lan WangJi. 

If they could kill and hurt people so easily, what had they done to the animals that had done nothing wrong? That could hardly defend themselves against an army?

_ “Why _ ? How could they!? Your people haven’t done anything against the Wens! Against the fire nation, even!” 

Lan Wangji looked up at Wei WuXian, gaze intense. “We have. So has Nie MingJue.” 

Wei WuXian felt as if he had been struck by lightning at the realization. There was no hiding what that stare was. It was an accusation. They had acted against the fire nation in training and consulting with the avatar. Both nations knew who he was, but Wen RuoHan didn’t, which meant they had suffered for their silence. They had suffered for him.

“Was it my fault, then? That your home was destroyed? They wanted to know who I was?” Wei WuXian asked, knowing the answer. His throat clenched so that he had trouble swallowing. Wasn’t that why the Unclean Realm was attacked? Because earth was the first element he was supposed to master. News must have spread that he had been there. 

Still, Lan WangJi answered in an unwavering tone. “The avatar is important.” 

“It can’t be more important than your home and your family and your people,” Wei Wuxian choked out. 

“You’re going to stop them.” 

“I am!” He said, suddenly jumping to his feet. What was he trying to do, sitting around for so long? They needed to get out of this cave. “We’re going to get out of here right now, and I’ll get the best healers in Lotus Pier to heal your father, and I’m going to help you restore your home and I’m going to stop Wen Chao and Wen Ruohan and Wen Zu.”

He considered holding out a hand to help Lan WangJi to his feet, but had the vague recollection of the other boy not liking being touched by others, and he had done an awful lot of that already. While it was probably not the best plan, all things considered, he intended to try to use his seismic sense to try to escort them out. He took a new stance as Lan WangJi stood, and felt as the cave echoed back its details. Lan WangJi offered him the torch, since Wei WuXian would be the one leading them, and almost dropped it when their fingers brushed, but caught himself and gave him a tight smile and began to walk.

And walk.

And walk, and yet the path that should have ended never did.

He felt the vibrations of the earth again to find that the cave had shifted once more. The only thing that remained constant was the strange room-like structure at the center of all the tunnels that had been blocked the first time he had tried to get directions.

“There’s something in the middle… should we go see what it is?” He asked Lan WangJi, eyes shifting to the torch for a second. They had been walking around in what was probably circles for quite a while, and the glow emitted from the torch was slowly becoming smaller. 

“Mn,” Lan WangJi responded, and they began to head that way. He had tried to leave Lan WangJi alone, but the silence was absolutely intolerable, and, in the end, he couldn’t totally remember why he had tried to begin with. 

“That airbender, the one that tried to give up MianMian, he really slept on all of your teachings. I copied your rules for a few days, and even I think I know them better than him. He should have been born a prickle snake the way he snuck himself into our group and then turned around and betrayed everyone.”

“Talking behind people’s backs is prohibited,” Lan WangJi said, but it sounded more like a default response than actually scolding him. Maybe Lan Zhan was upset about it, too. 

“In the Cloud Recesses, and I’m not a Lan or an airbender. I could say as much as I want about him. As if poor MianMian hadn’t been through enough with Wen Chao always chasing after her. Beautiful people really do suffer the most, don’t they, Lan Zhan?” Wei WuXian teased. “Can you believe she’s from Koi Tower? I didn’t think anyone who wasn’t completely self-absorbed could come out of there. I think you two would make a good couple, Lan Zhan,” he said. 

It was the last sentence that snapped Lan WangJi’s attention to him. “You… are not interested in her?” 

“Of course not, Lan Zhan. I was just trying to keep Wen Chao off of her. Besides, imagine what a terrible match that would be. I’m already banned from Koi Tower, and she happens to live there.”

“You should not flirt with others if you do not mean it,” Lan Zhan reprimanded. Lan Zhan had seen him flirt with MianMian, then? When had he been paying attention? Why had he been paying attention? He was probably making sure he didn’t get into trouble like the peacock and Jiang Cheng, he thought with a huff. 

When they came to the large pocket that he had felt in the cave, there was a large boulder blocking the path. Luckily, he happened to be the avatar and had just learned how to earthbend. He maneuvered the rock out of the way and gave a curious glance back to Lan WangJi before he entered. Inside, sat two tombs and a carving on the wall that oversaw them. “Probably not spirits, then?” He said, looking to Lan WangJi, who had moved to stand beside him. 

“There’s writing,” Lan WangJi commented, and Wei WuXian noted the characters on the carving.

“Love leads the way. Are you a romantic, Lan Zhan? What do you think that means?”

“Not there, here,” he told him, crouched beside one of the two coffins. Wei WuXian squat beside him and began to read the story of the two lovers, from the earth kingdom when it was still broken up into smaller villages. The two villages had been at war, long before even Wen Mao’s time. The consequences of being caught were grave, so they carved through the mountain after learning earthbending from the badger moles and would meet beneath the mountain that divided the region. Anyone who tried to follow would be lost as the labyrinth constantly changed, and only they knew the way, letting love lead them to one another. They ended the war when the avatar could not. 

“And then the fire nation invaded and took over the territory where they had established peace and love. This needs to be updated,” Wei WuXian scoffed. He moved his hand minutely, which made Lan WangJi immediately shoot his own hand out to grab his. 

“Do not disrespect their place of rest,” he told him, his eyes intent, and focused entirely on him. 

“So you  _ are _ a romantic, Lan Zhan,” he said, a smile spreading on his lips as he lay a hand on Lan WangJi’s arm. “Very bad, Lan Zhan. You monks are supposed to remove yourselves from earthly things, including love.” He straightened himself and noticed that the room had dimmed again. The torch was on its last few minutes. 

“It won’t last too much longer. Lan Zhan!” He cried out, spinning back to the airbender, who was still on the ground beside the tomb. “How about we try to let love lead the way!”

Lan WangJi only continued to look at him. “In the carving, they’re kissing! Maybe… if we… kissed?” 

Lan WangJi stood, and began to walk back the way they had come. 

“Wait! Lan Zhan!” He called out, catching his arm. “We don’t really have many options left. As much as I can try to sense the makeup of the cave, it keeps shifting, and the comet is coming soon. If the wolf bats come back after the torch goes out, we won’t be able to see them, and they can fly, so I wouldn’t even be able to sense them.”

Lan WangJi remained quiet, but he also didn’t move away, which gave Wei WuXian hope that he was getting to him. 

“You can pretend you’re kissing Mianmian! You protected her pretty fiercely back there,” Wei WuXian teased, but was answered with a glare.

“Or- anyone you’d like,” he mumbled with a pout. Really, Lan Zhan needed to make up his mind. Just because he wasn’t good at flirting with girls didn’t mean he had to get mad at Wei WuXian because he could. 

“Wei Ying,” he heard Lan Zhan say, and he huffed at the sound. He really was trapped in a darkening cave with Lan Zhan to be scolded until they died, he thought, but blanked when he felt a pair of lips on his. He froze for a moment, unsure whether he was supposed to kiss back, or just take it and hope it worked. In the end, he couldn’t resist the way the lips molded against his, pressing hard and insistent. He didn’t think Lan Zhan had it in him- he thought before surrendering himself to the feeling. The torch had long since fallen at their feet, extinguished and forgotten, so where had the light come from? He wondered, peeking to see dazzling crystals illuminating the cave. He pulled back with a smile, keeping a hand on Lan WangJi’s arm. In front of him, he saw Lan WangJi looking around in wonder, a hint of a smile in his lips.

“The crystals light up in the dark,” he whispered, the glow of the lights reflecting off his features and making him look ethereal. 

Wei WuXian really kissed him. The thought made his face heat up, and he moved past Lan WangJi, beginning to follow the path of lights so that his back would be to him, and he couldn’t see his dark blush. In part, he also didn’t want to look at Lan WangJi right now. He had told him to think of someone to kiss when he kissed Wei WuXian, and he had.

“Who did you think of, Lan Zhan?” He found himself asking before he could stop the words from tumbling from his mouth. He was met with silence, and peaked back to see that Lan WangJi had frozen in place and was giving him a disbelieving look. Did Lan WangJi not trust him? Maybe Lan WangJi hadn’t thought of anyone at all, but that wasn’t possible. There was too much emotion behind it, he thought, resisting the urge to bring his fingers up to touch his lips as he felt the ghost of Lan WangJi’s lips against his own again. Did he really want to know who Lan WangJi had thought of? The painful sinking feeling of his heart made him realize that he didn’t, but he also didn’t want Lan WangJi to think that he had told him to kiss him because he wanted it. Had he wanted it? He didn’t know! But it had been quiet for too long! 

“Fine, I won’t tell you who I thought of, then,” he said, continuing to walk, but still not hearing Lan WangJi behind him. 

Again, he peeked to see that Lan WangJi now looked… upset. “You… really are the worst,” he heard him say, and felt his entire body go cold. Did he know? Was he disgusted by him? Did he hate him now? He still needed an airbending master!

He didn’t realize he had spaced out until he felt Lan WangJi brush past him. 

The walk out of the cave was done in absolute silence and incredible tension. 

When they had made their way out, the sun had not yet risen, and it had left the cave feeling brighter than the world they now had to face. 

He looked to Lan WangJi, and felt an ache in his heart at the reminder that out here, Lan WangJi’s home had been destroyed and the Fire Nation would attack soon. 

“Lan Zhan… you can still come to Lotus Pier with me. I still want you to come back with me. You can have an actual healer look after your leg-“

“I must return,” he interrupted, yet made no attempt to move. The two remained where they were, still before the forest that surrounded them. Wei Wuxian watched him, still yearning to reach out, but he couldn’t imagine how much resentment Lan Wangji must have towards him. To have a person you disliked so much be the cause of your people’s death because he must be placed above everything else. To make matters worse, Wei WuXian was showing no promise as the avatar, being thrown whichever way the Wens decided. They were interrupted by what sounded like an explosion from behind Wei WuXian. 

He turned and placed himself by Lan WangJi, and saw Lan WangJi move closer as well, but what emerged wasn’t an enemy. 

Jin ZiXuan had really burst through the cave with his earthbending alone… had most likely just broken down wall after wall and placed another entrance beside the one they had escaped from. 

The benders flowed out like a river through a burst dam, with Jiang Cheng heading straight towards him. 

“We need to head back to Lotus Pier and prepare for the attack,” he told him. “There’s no more hope of you mastering all of the elements, we’ll work with what we have.” 

It seemed all the other benders had the same idea of returning to their place of origin, as the groups had organized themselves into small masses of like colors. Even the airbenders had finished gathering by Lan WangJi.

It was substantially smaller than the other two groups, only making up a third, if even that. These were the airbenders left to protect Gusu and the Cloud Recesses. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wwx: maybe we should kiss… but you wouldn’t want to kiss me :/  
> lwj: *already putting on lip balm*
> 
> First, I changed the story of the cave of two lovers because… well I mean, tbh I had to? Also I made it gender neutral for no real reason.  
> Yes, I am progressing the romance faster than I probably should be because I can’t help it. No, they will not have anything close to a confession in the flashback. Did anyone read All Quiet on the Western Front in high school 🥺? Y’all remember when he tried to carry his homie away from danger on his back, only to find he’d been shot through the back of his head while he carried him when he finally put him down 🥺? That shit hurt my feelings. Anyway, school started and a cashier quit so my free time is stupid times in the morning.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my favorite chapter to write ❤️. I had to split it in two tho it was reaching 11k words... which... is 2k past what I think is okay... anyway, I hope you like it!! I did this instead of sleeping for my midterm ❤️

Wei WuXian continued to face Jiang Cheng, but couldn’t bring his feet to move forward or backward, or any direction! 

“Wei WuXian!” his brother called out in frustration when he had noticed, stopping his entire entourage of kidnapped waterbenders, and walking a few steps back towards him.

He understood his brother’s urgency to get on with their journey, the comet coming so soon and all, but he couldn’t just let the airbenders fend for themselves. 

Wen Chao had said that all the remaining airbenders were currently there, meaning there were maybe a handful more back at the Cloud Recesses if Wen Chao was exaggerating like he suspected. If Wen Ruohan decided to finish them off during the comet…

“I can’t go back with you,” Wei WuXian told him, hesitating to meet his brother’s gaze. 

“Wei WuXian, an attack is coming-!”

“And Lotus Pier still has more benders and citizens than the Cloud Recesses! They can defend themselves, but the Cloud Recesses can’t,” he pleaded for him to understand. “If there is another attack on them, especially when the Fire Nation’s power is amplified, there’s no way they would survive!” 

He turned to face Lan WangJi, who stood only a short distance from him, his head slightly turned to the side, but his back still facing the two, while the other airbenders were outright standing around watching him, then turned to Lan WangJi, as if wanting to ask if they should move on or wait for the avatar to make his decision. 

“Jiang Cheng…” He moved until he was standing right before his brother, “I, as the avatar, entrust Lotus Pier to you,” he told him, resting his hands on his shoulders. 

He gave Jiang Cheng a small smile, but his brother simply shrugged his hands off and gave him a harsh glare. 

“Don’t let a single other airbender die if you’re going to abandon your nation for them,” he told him, and marched off, leading the waterbenders further and further away. The earthbenders departed soon after, leaving only Wei WuXian and the airbenders. 

He hesitantly turned to look back at Lan WangJi, who was still half turned to face him, and awkwardly walked over to him. “Surprise, Lan Zhan. Since you haven’t been wanting to come with me, this time I’ll go with you,” he joked weakly, bumping shoulders with the other boy. 

Lan WangJi only nodded, and began to walk ahead of the small group of airbenders, Wei WuXian staying at his side. “Although, I don’t think your uncle will be very happy to have me back,” he laughed. 

“Uncle will be thankful that you decided to help.” 

“Of course I did! How could I possibly abandon the noble airbenders? Besides, Lotus Pier is strong, and the comet falls before a full moon. They’ll survive.”

“Wei Ying does not have to come if he does not want to.” 

“It doesn’t matter what I want to do. I  _ have _ to do things sometimes. I didn’t want to leave Lotus Pier, I didn’t want to go to Koi Tower, I didn’t want to end up trapped in a cave running from the Fire Nation,” he told him, then closed his mouth abruptly, sneaking a glance at Lan WangJi. “Lan Zhan, that thing that happened in the cave… don’t think about it too much. I’m sorry I suggested doing something stupid. In the end, it  _ was _ stupid and pointless. It wouldn’t have ever worked if it was between us anyway, right?” He said, forcing out a laugh. “I understand if you hate me,” he told him, giving a forced smile. “But I hope we can stay friends,” he whispered, shifting his gaze to look straight ahead of him, and if Lan WangJi’s gaze lowered and his steps seemed to falter for a second, he didn’t notice, too caught up in his own regret. 

He wanted to kick himself! Lan WangJi didn’t even like people touching him, and he had already told him how he felt about that kiss! 

_ You really are the worst _ , the words echoed in his head. He had told Lan WangJi to forget about it, but could he? That he hadn’t yelled at him to piss off was a show of his discipline and upbringing alone! Still, even if it was uncomfortable, or he felt like Lan WangJi didn’t want him there, he did have a duty to protect what was left of the airbenders.

“That airbender!” He suddenly remembered, earning a glance from Lan WangJi. 

“Su She will no longer be welcome at the Cloud Recesses.” 

He turned, and did in fact notice that he was missing from their small group, but had never seen Lan WangJi tell him he was no longer welcome, nor did he think it in the nature of Lan WangJi to leave him to fend for himself in the middle of nowhere. He would have at least brought him back to Cloud Recesses to receive such a punishment from Lan QiRen or one of the elders.

“He had dejected while you were speaking to Jiang WanYin,” Lan WangJi explained.

Wei WuXian scoffed. “He probably wanted to save himself the humiliation of-”

Lan WangJi sent him an annoyed look that made Wei WuXian purse his lips and abandon the topic. He walked in silence for maybe a minute before he couldn’t stand it, and began racking his brain for something to talk about. 

Obviously, his family’s well-being was off-limits. So were the Cloud Recesses… and the upcoming war seemed something best left at the back of their minds for the moment. He thought telling Lan WangJi about how he got captured escaping the Unclean Realm and how the attack had succeeded would be insensitive. But then, a thought suddenly occurred to him! 

“Lan Zhan!” He called out to him with a bright smile as he tugged at his sleeve. “I have a surprise for you! I don’t know where it is just now, but I know you’ll be happy when you see it! It might even be at the Cloud Recesses,” he told him smugly. 

Maybe because he had teased Lan WangJi too much, or because he wasn’t always known to be truthful, Lan WangJi only shook him off and paid his comment no mind. 

Wei WuXian pouted, and crossed his arms. “Just wait until you see it. You’ll surely never treat me this way again,” he declared, then let his arms drop. “But I won’t say you owe me because I was happy to do it,” he said, leaning closer to Lan WangJi, his hands clasped behind his back. 

He giggled merrily to himself as he remembered the bison he had saved and sent Nie HuaiSang to safety upon, and thought with glee of how wonderful it would be to see Lan WangJi’s face when he realized that not all was lost to him. He peeked up at the other boy to find he didn’t look the slightest bit affected by Wei WuXian’s words. 

“Aren’t you curious what it is?” He asked, hoping to draw a response. 

“I’m not,” Lan WangJi replied. 

“Lying is forbidden, Lan Zhan,” he sang, laughing giddily again. “But I wouldn’t tell you what it was even if you were curious and  _ begged _ to know! You’ll just have to wait and see. Maybe we’ll even meet it along the way.” 

The only problem was, he really didn’t know where Nie HuaiSang had ended up, and he didn’t know if he had survived that week where benders were being captured. He knew Nie HuaiSang lived and breathed self-preservation, even avoiding eating Wei WuXian’s cooking because he swore it would kill him. So, he didn’t think the boy would hesitate in turning tail and running at the first sign of danger, but he wasn’t all too convinced that if he  _ were _ to be caught in a dangerous situation he would survive. Still, Nie HuaiSang had some brains about him, even if they weren’t applied to the most important things, surely he could think of a way to ensure his survival, he hoped.

***

The trip back to the Cloud Recesses would have taken much longer than it had, if not for his presence, Wei WuXian thought. Luckily, they had had a waterbender along with them and traveled by river at a faster pace than by land or without a waterbender present. All in all, it had taken them three days to return, but it wasn’t until they were at the base of the mountain that Wei WuXian truly considered what he might see when they reached its summit. 

“Lan Zhan, we should go up first. If there’s any firebenders left, there’s no need to get everyone caught up in it.” 

Lan WangJi nodded, and the two began their quick ascension alone, with Wei WuXian putting his earthbending to good use to skate up the side of the mountain and Lan WangJi using his airbending to reach the top in a few strong jumps. 

They proceeded cautiously, making their way through the gates that were left unguarded, and into the courtyard. What was once serene and divine was left charred and broken. The bridge near the koi pond where they had first fought was nothing more than a skeleton of what it once was. The Library Pavillion was hollow and blackened, as were several of the buildings that still stood. Even Lan WangJi’s own residence, the Jingshi, had not been spared. It seemed the firebenders had sent out flames and watched as they ate all they could until the Cloud Recesses were exposed as an imposter among the heavens, and Wei WuXian couldn’t help but feel his chest tighten. He turned to Lan WangJi to see his expression looked extremely pained, as if the fires had not yet devoured this much when he had been taken. 

He didn’t want Lan WangJi to see this anymore. He didn’t want him to see what else or who else the fires had claimed, and had just taken his wrist to pull him away and tell him they could go to Lotus Pier, or  _ anywhere _ as long as he didn’t have to face this now when a voice called out. 

“ _ WangJi.” _

Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi turned to see Lan QiRen step out into the courtyard. 

“ _ Uncle _ ,” he responded, his voice thick with emotion, and made his way towards the other man. 

Wei WuXian stayed behind and watched them for a moment before he realized it wasn’t his place to. He took a step backwards, then another before finally turning and making his way towards the back hills where the bison once played, but hadn’t made it all the way when he spotted burnt patches of grass. He took in a stuttering breath, and slowly continued, the tears in his eyes blurring his vision as he took step after step, remembering how it had once looked, and the pain and fear they must have suffered before they had died, both the humans like their lifetime companions. And they did last a lifetime, it had just been cut short. 

His feet gave out from under him after one step too close, one tear too many, and he couldn’t find the strength to stand or a single way to properly mourn everything that had been stolen from this once peaceful place. 

He didn’t know how long he had kneeled there before light footsteps approached. “It’s my fault isn’t it?” He asked, knowing he had already claimed the blame for himself. 

“It is not,” Lan WangJi responded. 

“Is your father even still alive?” He choked out, and Lan WangJi’s silence was answer enough. 

Wei WuXian’s figure shook as tears streamed down his face and whispered sobs passed his lips. “How can you not blame me? If I had been stronger, if I had taken this more seriously-“ 

“Wei Ying is human,” Lan WangJi responded, the soft crinkle of grass exposing his drawing nearer. “Three months was not enough time.” 

Wei WuXian quickly wiped the tears away and kept his face down as Lan WangJi kneeled in front of him. “The Fire Nation is at fault.  _ Wen RuoHan _ is at fault. Not Wei Ying. Never Wei Ying,” he soothed, and Wei WuXian looked up to meet clear, sincere eyes, and wondered how such a person could exist. 

He leaned forward and bumped his forehead against Lan WangJi’s chest. He heard Lan WangJi take in a sharp breath, but he let Wei WuXian lean against him. He stayed that way until he felt himself calm down. 

“Other than your uncle…”

“Mm, more survivors than Wen Chao had made us believe,” Lan WangJi responded, and Wei WuXian felt the low rumble when he spoke. He turned his head so that his ear was against Lan WangJi’s chest on impulse, and was surprised by the rapid beating of his heart. He peeked up at him, and thought his ears might have gone a little red, but didn’t voice his observations, in case Lan WangJi pulled away. 

“A-and your brother?” he asked. Lan WangJi was silent for a moment, and Wei WuXian thought he wasn’t going to respond. He pulled away from his chest to try and perceive an answer on his face when Lan WangJi finally responded. 

“Still missing.” 

Wei WuXian nodded solemnly, but didn’t have time for self deprecating thoughts before Lan WangJi stood, and pulled him up. 

“Lan Zhan?!” He cried out, as he was dragged out of the back hills and all the way back to the courtyard where a familiar figure in earthbending attire stood amongst white. His steps grew faster, pulling away from Lan WangJi subconsciously, until they gradually became a full sprint that drew the stares of the other airbenders and the irritated look of Lan QiRen. 

“Nie HuaiSang!” He called out as he ran to the boy, a bright smile on his face when the other turned and looked delighted before his features became fearful when Wei WuXian showed no signs of slowing. 

He braced himself for the impact, his arms going up to protect his body, but it never came. 

As soon as Wei WuXian had spotted BiChen, he had changed directions and had flung himself at the bison’s leg instead. Nie HuaiSang let out a relieved sigh and continued to fan himself as he stepped up to the two, with Lan WangJi close behind. 

“Did you like your surprise, Lan Zhan?” He asked, his smile reaching his eyes as he began to coo at and praise BiChen.

“Mm,” Lan WangJi hummed in confirmation, a small smile playing on his lips that overjoyed Wei WuXian more than he could comprehend. He let out a small laugh. “We found him before we got captured.”

“What are you saying, Avatar WuXian? You got captured  _ because _ you found him. If we had kept going the way we were they wouldn’t have crossed our path.” 

Wei WuXian waved him off, moving his attention and petting to BiChen’s face, then began to climb him so that he could better reach the top of his head. “And BiChen was such a good boy while I treated his injuries. He deserves lots of treats. Okay, Lan Zhan?” 

Lan WangJi hummed in approval again, watching as Wei WuXian continued to climb all over the animal to pet every possible surface he could reach. 

“But how did you end up back here, Nie HuaiSang?” He asked, having had his fill of spoiling the animal and taken to reclining in his saddle. 

“Ah, I didn’t know how to control such a creature,” he whined. “It ended up flying us back here as soon as we were in the air. Avatar WuXian, next time don’t push that kind of thing on me. I really don’t know anything about it.” 

Wei WuXian only laughed again, the joy pulsing in his chest alongside his heart. 

When he finally felt like jumping off the beast, Lan Qiren was waiting to speak to him, and Lan WangJi had gone to retrieve the other airbenders to help the others begin to rebuild the Cloud Recesses. 

“You have not mastered fire, then?” He asked him. 

“I haven’t, but, if you could just teach me air, anyway-!”

“Impossible. The order of the elements must be followed,” Lan QiRen interrupted, and Wei WuXian was shocked. After all this place had suffered, they were still going to enforce such rules?! 

“Why?” Wei WuXian practically shouted. “Because those are the rules? What could that possibly matter when the world is on the brink of being thrown out of balance? What will rules matter in a world that has shifted from the natural order?” He argued back. “If I could have one more element under my belt, that’s one more element to use against Wen RuoHan.”

“You are not ready!” Lan QiRen snapped.

“Then what can I do to be ready without learning firebending? You learned air without first learning fire, and we are both predisposed to the element!” 

“Wei Ying.”

Lan QiRen used his momentary distraction to leave the pointless argument with a huff, and left Lan WangJi to continue to argue with the boy instead. “Lan Zhan,” he said, running up to the boy, and taking hold of his arm. “Teach me to airbend.”

“I cannot.” 

“Of course you can! You’re a talented airbender, and the grandson of a powerful avatar! You know how important this is,” he pleaded, but Lan WangJi only nodded, and dropped his gaze.

“It is important that Wei Ying first learn fire,” Lan WangJi told him, no doubt learning such a thing from his uncle. 

Wei WuXian wanted to scream in frustration. How would learning fire be so important that they weren’t willing to give him a way for him to help them? What could firebending possibly teach him that would have any connection to air? In fact, wouldn’t learning air first better help him control fire? The way he had seen it, they worked practically the same way, except air was safer. 

“Wei Ying does not understand yet,” Lan WangJi added, only frustrating him even more.

“Then teach me what I don’t understand!” Why was that so hard?!

When he got no response, he let out a scoff, and walked away, leaving Lan WangJi behind. 

If they wouldn’t teach him, then maybe Lan Yi might. She was the one that warned him over what was coming. He hurried to the Cold Springs, and dove into the water, fully clothed, searching for the entrance to the hidden sanctuary, using his waterbending to help search longer. When he finally found a peculiarity along the floor of the spring, he forced it open with earthbending and was swallowed up the same way he had been the first time. 

He rushed through the water and to the statue of the peaceful avatar. “Lan Yi!” He called out, hoping to awaken her, but the statue remained at peace. He kneeled before her and called for her again, but she still didn’t respond. 

He looked down at his hands, his frustration pulling them into tight fists that stung his cold flesh. They were shaking and red, and even his breath was a puff of mist. The cold didn’t feel like it had truly gotten to him before, but now it felt heavier. It might be because of the clothes that clung to his skin, heavy and soaking wet. He pulled the water from himself, and puffed air into his freezing hands. 

He’s thrown a temper tantrum because he hadn’t gotten his way and had fought with Lan WangJi so shortly after delighting in his smile. He should go apologize, he thinks. 

“The Cold Springs heal the body and calm the mind,” he heard a woman say, and looked up to see Lan Yi smiling down at him. He immediately bowed. 

“I came to ask you to teach me airbending… but, now I want to know why no one will,” he mumbled, ashamed at the thought that his past life had seen his display. 

“The elements are connected, young avatar. They flow like a river, one into the other, but in the end, are one and the same. If you try to learn to airbend now, you will not succeed. Fire allows you to become wary of your surroundings in a much more tangible way. You can feel the heat that surrounds the world, and from that feeling you may feel the heat that is within us and all living things. This understanding is something best felt and learned. Fire also allows you to see the extent of your attack. It grants you more control than you would have with air. 

“The airbenders here have undergone a different upbringing. They only know the control they have, and have gained it through years of meditation and a lifestyle you have not experienced. Airbending is seen as the tamest of the elements, but with a force unmastered and unrefined, it can devastate just as much as any other. With your talent, Wei WuXian, you could hurt a lot of people.”

Wei WuXian was quiet for a moment, looking at his hands again. Water had taught him to move closest to an airbender, earth had taught him to hold his ground so that he would not be influenced by the element when he unleashed it, and fire would teach him control over the element itself. The only problem was, still, a firebending master. 

“It’s too late to find a firebending master, isn’t it?” 

“Time is irrelevant. What must happen will, in the order it chooses,” she told him. He didn’t really know what she meant, but he decided to nod, and bow again. 

“Thank you for your wisdom. I should apologize to Lan Zhan,” he pouted, then turned a smile to Lan Yi. “I’m really happy to have Lan Zhan. He’s a good person, you should be proud,” he told her as he stood, turning away to look for where he had entered from, but when he looked back, the statue had taken her place. 

He made a small noise in disappointment, but hummed and started making his way back out of the sanctuary. 

When he broke the surface of the water, it was night, and the moon was slowly recovering in the sky. Meanwhile, Lan WangJi sat at the edge of the Cold Springs, meditating. He knew he had come here? Maybe he had just come to meditate, he thought. A mischievous smile spread on his lips, and he slowly made his way through the water, feeling much like a catgator stalking its prey. He wondered if maybe Lan WangJi was sleeping instead? If he really didn’t open his eyes and move himself away, what happened was going to be his own fault!

But he made it to the bank with no sign of Lan WangJi seeing him, so he sprung out of the water and tackled Lan WangJi, both now covered in water. “Surprise, Lan Zhan! What are you thinking about that even I was able to catch you off guard?” He laughed, letting himself be shoved off and onto the ground beside Lan WangJi. 

“Wei Ying!” 

Wei WuXian continued to laugh, but took hold of Lan WangJi’s robe so he wouldn’t storm off. 

“Lan Zhan, were you waiting for me?” He asked, his teasing smile still on his lips. 

Lan WangJi only pulled himself away and began back up the path to the temples. 

Wei WuXian was quickly up and running in front of him again, bowing slightly. “I spoke to Lan Yi. She told me why I couldn’t learn air before fire. I’m sorry I snapped at you,” he told him, peeking up at Lan WangJi’s face, but finding the same unreadable expression. “How long was I away?” He asked, knowing that last time it had been longer than it felt. 

“Two days,” Lan WangJi answered. 

“Did you wait for me all that time, Lan Zhan!” He cried out. 

He must have! He couldn’t possibly know when he was coming back, but he had been there when he finally emerged. Why would he do that? Did he ever think he had run away? But Lan WangJi didn’t respond to his question, he only looked away. 

“You missed your bedtime, Lan Zhan,” he teased half-heartedly, but sent the other a small smile he hoped was interpreted as gratitude. 

***

The rest of the first of the two weeks before the invasion, Wei WuXian helped rebuild the Cloud Recesses, played with BiChen and Nie Huaisang, occasionally coaxing the other to help him groom him, and learned a bit more about the spiritual part of being the avatar from Lan WangJi. With the amount of time they spent together, Wei WuXian thought maybe he truly had forgotten what had occurred between them in the cave. Even if he did still look annoyed by his teasing. He also began to demonstrate his new earthbending and waterbending techniques to Lan WangJi, who had nodded once to show that he was pleased? Probably? He wasn’t sure what it meant, but Lan WangJi had commented that he had begun to understand what it meant to be the avatar. That comment had him quickly running over to bother the airbender again. 

He still got in trouble often, and still had to copy the rules, and once a book, on whatever Lan WangJi or Lan QiRen thought would work best to reform him. While it wasn’t as fun as Lotus Pier, he still got a chance to play with Lan WangJi, and more free time than he had had in a while. He picked up his correspondence with Jiang YanLi that had, obviously, ceased after they had been taken captive, but didn’t receive a response, which he had chalked up to the impending war, but he still worried over his sister and her response to the broken engagement. Out of all the things that had happened at Koi Tower, this was the only outcome that troubled him, even if he did think Jin ZiXuan didn’t deserve her. 

He got to see Lan WangJi every day, and see his expression shift every day, and the sight was addicting. He wanted to keep drawing new expressions from the boy who was so closed off in front of everybody else. Through all his teasing, it was a wonder he hadn’t been kicked out just yet. 

It was three days before the comet had actually come that Wei WuXian thought they might have actually gotten sick of him. Lan WangJi was leading a group of younger airbenders in their spiritual development, but he had decided he needed a break and had wandered off. He grimaced as he saw Lan Qiren approaching him looking flustered, and stood from where he lay reclined on BiChen’s leg. The closer he got, the better he could tell that it was a look of panic and not anger, and that made him feel like a stone had been dropped into his stomach. 

“Avatar WuXian,” Lan QiRen approached him, holding a scroll in his hands. “You must return to Lotus Pier.” 

“What has happened?” He asked, stepping up to the man. 

“Nothing yet. I have received a message that states that Lotus Pier will have the complete focus of the firebenders during the comet. It seems… you have angered Wen RuoHan by inciting the uprising of the other benders, and he has decided your home will pay the price.”

Wei WuXian didn’t need to hear another word. 

He rushed past Lan QiRen and left the Cloud Recesses then and there and headed back to Lotus Pier on his own, not even daring to ask Lan WangJi to accompany him. It was the first time he knew the other would, but also the first time he didn’t want him at his side. With so much left to rebuild of the Cloud Recesses, he didn’t want Lan WangJi to preoccupy himself with him. Right now, Lan WangJi’s people needed him as much as Wei WuXian’s own needed him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, the cold springs isn’t an actual portal to the spirit world, I mean... okay it is, but it’s not physical it’s like the spirit oasis? Wwx just happens to have the easiest time contacting his past life there because calms mind clears head, ya know?


	9. Sacrifices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, I'm just chillin going " I wonder why nobody's commented on the bullshit I just pulled in that last chapter" and then realize I never posted it........... Nothing to do with this chapter of course... anyway! I hope you like it!
> 
> WAIT!!! WAIT I FORGOT!! CHAPTER WARNING FOR DEPICTIONS OF... animal abuse, I think? IT REALLY STRONGLY READS LIKE HE'S TORTURING ANIMALS AND I PROMISE HE HATES IT AS MUCH AS WE DO, BUT IT'S STILL IN HERE!! It starts at "Wei WuXian made up his mind, setting his eyes on the elephant rats in the cage before him" and ends at "They continued, with Wen Qing watching over him as he practiced, "

He had stolen the first ostrich horse he could find, and urged the animal as fast as it could go, to the point of exhaustion to the banks of the same river he and Jiang Cheng had traveled on at the beginning of their journey and pushed himself as hard as he had pushed the animal he had handed off to a fisherman.

Days of restless travel paid off when he arrived back home the day of the comet, mere hours before it was expected. 

Lotus Pier was heavily guarded, as he was sure every nation was, except possibly Koi Tower. His presence shocked the waterbenders, but he was allowed through without question. As heavily guarded as it was, it wouldn’t stand a chance against the entirety of the Fire Nation’s army. He needed to reach Jiang FengMian and tell him what was going to happen. 

As he ran through the vast grounds of the estate, and towards his still standing home, Jiang Cheng emerged and stood at the entrance, looking grumpy, arms crossed, and looking down his nose at him. “Where are your airbenders?” He scoffed, but dropped his facade when he saw the panicked look on Wei WuXian’s face. “Why did you come back?” 

“The entire Fire Nation army is going to attack Lotus Pier,” he told him, not stopping for a moment. 

“What? Why?” His brother asked, but Wei WuXian couldn’t bring himself to answer out of his own shame. 

When they entered the throne room, both Madame Yu and Jiang FengMian were present, with JinZhu and YinZhu standing just behind Madame Yu.

“A-Xian!” Jiang FengMian cried out in wonder, and stood, beginning to make his way over to him. He had a small smile beginning to form on his features, but at his unenthusiastic response, it quickly dropped off his face and went silent. 

“A-Cheng said you were going to remain with the airbenders until the invasion ended. Why have you returned?” Madame Yu asked, approaching him as well.

Wei WuXian gave a deep bow and spoke. 

“We need more warriors, we need more defenses.”

“I don’t think they will make it to the Cloud Recesses-”

Wei WuXian swallowed, but maintained his posture. 

“Not the Cloud Recesses,” he said. “The entire Fire Nation army is headed to Lotus Pier, we won’t survive the way things are now. A-Jie should be sent away-“ 

“A-Li is already gone,” Madame Yu said, her voice silencing even the breath of the three men in the room. “Madame Jin has called upon her and has been doing so in the hopes of restoring the marriage that  _ you ruined.  _ Just like you’re about to bring ruin to Lotus Pier-“

“Mom-!” 

“Are you going to tell me it isn’t his fault the Fire Nation is targeting us?” She snapped. “If your father had left him where he found him the cycle would have continued-”

She was interrupted by the scandalized outburst from both Jiang Cheng and Jiang FengMian, but Wei WuXian maintained his posture as Jiang FengMian argued in favor of Wei WuXian’s life being saved when he was a child, and it stung, but wouldn’t it have been the way things should have gone? That Jiang FengMian had found him and saved him was its own little miracle. Madame Yu was right, the cycle and everyone’s life would have gone on. The only difference was that if he had died, there would have been a child no more than 10 that would have had to endure this burden. They would have seen the Unclean Realm get invaded, or would have been impeded by the earth benders of Koi Tower. So, maybe being alive helped him save one more life than he could have? 

His head snapped up when the doors of the Jiang Mansion were thrown open, wide enough to see guards just outside the doors had been cut down, and lay in a pool of blood. 

As high and mighty as she looked as she walked into the throne room, Wei WuXian knew none of it was Wang LingJiao’s work. Her eyes were immediately scanning the room for something, then they landed on him. 

“So, Lotus Pier was hiding the avatar the entire time,” she commented, making her way onto Chief Jiang FengMian’s seat right in front of the man. 

“It was well-known that the next avatar would be a waterbender. If the Fire Nation focused more on history and less on power grabs, they would have been clever enough to search Lotus Pier and the smaller surrounding tribes,” she scoffed, but Wei WuXian could see how tense her shoulders were. She was ready for a fight. 

“You dare insult the Fire Nation on this sacred day!” She yelled, brazened by the twenty guards that had stormed in with her. 

“The only sacred day will be when Wen RuoHan’s head rolls!” Madame Yu snapped, and he could see how Wang LingJiao wanted to say something, but she quickly calmed herself and softened her tone. 

“Just give us the avatar, and we’ll leave Lotus Pier at peace,” Wang LingJiao told them. He heard Jiang Cheng scoff, and saw his brother tense as well. He knew he must have been terrified, but he hid it behind that same, ever present anger. 

“We won’t!” 

Wei WuXian snapped his head to the side, not at the refusal, but at the voice that had said it. Madame Yu moved until she was positioned partially in front of Wei WuXian, and partially in front of Jiang Cheng. 

“That lowborn filth such as yourself thinks she can come, and ask for the avatar’s surrender no less,” she said, looking her up and down. 

“You either give him to me, or the entire Fire Nation army will come and-“ Wang LingJiao let out a scream as Madame Yu struck her. Their small group of benders were quick to respond and finished off the guards that had escorted Wang LingJiao. 

“You dare threaten my family in our own territory?” She asked, striking Wang LingJiao again, and Wei WuXian flinched at each strike. 

He remembered getting struck by that same, fierce water whip. If anyone had perfected it more than Madame Yu, he would tremble at their opposition, for they would surely be unstoppable if they could conjure more precision and strength than Madame Yu. It could slash through a person on a full moon, but with the sun still up, it only left ugly cuts on Wang LingJiao’s face. 

As she raised her arm to attack again, a sword cut through the water, disrupting the hold she had on it. Wen Zhuliu had come in, no doubt upon hearing Wang LingJiao scream, while they had been preoccupied with the soldiers. The two exchanged a few blows before they came to a stop a few feet away from one another.

“Zhao Zhuliu,” she sneered, looking him up and down. “How much the Wen name must be worth to turn you into a traitor.” 

“I owe Wen RuoHan a great debt,'' was all he responded. 

They didn’t exchange any attacks the few seconds they had before the color of the sky changed and the sound of the world crumbling came from outside the building. Wen ZhuLiu quickly made off with Wang LingJiao, but no one tried to stop them.

Lotus Pier was under siege. They knew it, and they knew who and how they were doing it, but when they stepped out of the confines of the palace and its courtyard and saw all the flames and all the men, he could hear the pain in their gasps. 

Wei WuXian and Madame Yu were the first to jump into the fray, attacking any firebenders that were close to them and aiding any waterbenders. With all the showing off he had done for Lan WangJi, he had grown far better than he could have ever imagined at earthbending, and he used it to his advantage now that the firebenders were mostly prepared to defend against water. 

Still, waves upon waves of firebenders came through the now burnt down entrance of the estate. He didn’t know where Jiang FengMian was, but he didn’t let his mind turn away from what was happening there and then. One misstep, one moment where he was caught unawares, and he could be seriously hurt. He didn’t even think he saw Madame Yu turn when either JinZhu or maybe YinZhu? cried out. This fight needed to end, why did the comet move so slowly? At this rate, there would be nothing left of Lotus Pier to defend. 

“Go into the avatar state!” Jiang Cheng yelled at him, pushing back another wave of firebenders. His clothes were covered in sweat, and he knew how hard everyone was pushing past their own limits. 

“I can’t!” Wei WuXian called back, impaling several more without remorse. If he had known how to, he would have done it by now! He could have ended everything so easily, but he didn’t know how he had entered it the first time to begin with. 

“Wei WuXian!” 

Wei WuXian wanted to scream. What was the use of being the avatar if he couldn’t protect the things or people he loved? He had mastered water, had finally felt like he had mastered earth, but what could he possibly do against an entire army? It felt like everything was coming all too quickly: his brother’s desperate cries for him to enter the avatar state, the sound of screams and battle cries, the fire and water that clashed all around him. His body seemed to move mechanically, dodging and attacking on instinct. 

********

The battle proceeded long after the comet, and more fire nation soldiers lay dead around them than waterbenders, simply because there weren't enough of them to match the number of deaths. 

His arms and legs shook, but the moon was coming out, and the firebenders knew well enough to start heading back. It was finally starting to look like their victory was drawing near, when they heard Madame Yu cry out. 

Suddenly, the world that had been moving too fast before slowed. He saw as Wen Zhuliu’s blade was pulled out of Madame Yu, the woman spat out blood, looking just as surprised as Wei WuXian felt. 

Madame Yu was one of the greatest waterbending masters. The moon was full! She should have been unstoppable! In the next moment, Jiang FengMian was suddenly struck by the blade as well, slashing through his neck and leaving him to fall into the same bloody puddle as Madame Yu.

That was the last thing he saw before a familiar darkness overcame him.

***

“-uXian! Wei WuXian!” He heard his brother call out to him, and felt a hand on his bicep just like when he had first entered the avatar state. This time, instead of Lan WangJi, he saw Jiang Cheng’s face, tear-stained and panicked, his clothes were covered in smears of blood. “Wei WuXian!” 

Wei WuXian looked around and found more bodies scattered around them, everything from the ground beneath his feet to the palace cracked in half, the smaller ponds dry, and the fires gone, but the moon was still stained red. The bodies of his guardians still lay scattered among the red, having been tainted by the color as well, until not a hint of the soothing blues were left. 

There was a roar, and it seemed that the earth shook. Disoriented or not, he had felt this rumble before. 

“There’s a second wave of the attack,” he whispered, and quickly got to his feet, and pulled Jiang Cheng with him, away from Lotus Pier. 

“What are you doing?! We have to stay and protect Lotus Pier!” Jiang Cheng told him. As if he hadn’t seen that they were the only two left of their crumbled home. 

He pulled him as quickly and as far as his feet would allow him, until they came to a clearing, and, as much as he ran, the shock and grief of what he had seen caught up to them. 

This was the second time he had run. 

How was Nie MingJue?

How was the Unclean Realm? Did they end up like this? He wondered.

Wei WuXian was suddenly knocked to the ground by a strong wave of water. 

“ _ Why?! _ ” Jiang Cheng asked, sending the water crashing back against him with the full force of the ocean gifted by the moon. “ _ Why _ did it take you so long?!” He yelled at him, louder than Jiang Cheng had ever yelled. He heard the words rasp at his throat, and lay there, eyes going red as tears began to well up. 

“Why wouldn’t you go into the avatar state while they were destroying  _ everything _ I loved?!” Another attack, and another. 

_ Would the avatar born into the waterbenders die by drowning? _ He thought, but made no move to stop Jiang Cheng’s attacks, gasping and panting between blows.

“You went into the avatar state when Wen Chao had only just  _ insulted  _ Lan WangJi! Why couldn’t you save them!” Jiang Cheng yelled, kneeling over him, and lifting him from the ground by his robes. This time, the only water that crashed against him were Jiang Cheng’s own tears, yet they had hurt more than his previous attacks. 

“I don’t know,” he responded, his voice sounding small and unsure. 

“We were so close! We were going to turn the tide!” Jiang Cheng cried into his chest, and Wei WuXian could only close his eyes and cry silently with him. Truly, the defeat most tremendously horrible was the one that had let you experience hope first. 

He endured as his little brother cried into his chest and felt like he had aged a hundred years when the weight of the war had finally settled over him. In a day, he had lost everything except his brother and sister, if even that. Jiang Cheng was angry with him, but he had stayed, but when the tears dried would he be able to see his mistake more clearly? Would Jiang YanLi forgive him? He couldn’t bear the thought of her turning her back to him, or of Jiang Cheng leaving him, too. 

“We should keep moving before they find us,” he told his brother. 

“We should go back before they turn my parents’ bodies to ash,” he spat out, pushing himself to his feet and making his way back. 

“Jiang Cheng… Jiang Cheng!” He called out, taking his brother by the arm, but he snatched it back. 

“They deserve a proper ceremony! You at least owe them that!” 

_ Since you couldn’t keep them alive _ , Wei WuXian heard in his voice. He knew it was reckless, he knew it was dangerous, but Madame Yu and Jiang FengMian had raised him, fed him, trained him, and they did deserve more than to be burnt alongside twigs and trash. He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, following Jiang Cheng. 

***

The walk back was long and silent, and now that he wasn’t so caught up with getting away, he could see the still burning trail the firebenders had left on water nation territory. He distantly wondered if all the waterbending villages had been burnt down as well. 

The closer they got to Lotus Pier, the more he understood the pain Lan WangJi had felt when he returned to the Cloud Recesses. It was a feeling of helplessness, of being a small child again, and being left with nothing, made worse by the idea that his parents were dead and his loving sibling’s whereabouts were unknown. What power did he have against an entire nation? 

He felt the same pain go through Jiang Cheng’s eyes and turn to anger as his fists clenched and his jaw set. They continued forward, and perched themselves on the crumbling wall, searching for an opening. Unfortunately, they didn’t search for long before Jiang Cheng took the first chance he got, and jumped down and began to make his way through the estate. Wei WuXian tried to call out to him, they hadn’t seen the patrol routes, the number of guards, or even where his parents were. 

Still, he wasn’t about to let him go off alone, and jumped down and went after his brother. The only advantages they had were the moon and the fact that they knew Lotus Pier like the back of their hand. 

“We’ll split up and look for them,” Jiang Cheng declared, and began to head off, but was grabbed by Wei WuXian.

“There’s too many firebenders, if we get discovered-” 

“Is the avatar scared?” His brother mocked, his tone much sharper than when he had jeered at him about being the avatar before.

“If we can’t find them within the hour promise me you’ll meet me beneath the docks,” Wei WuXian said. 

Jiang Cheng”s jaw clenched, but he gave a small nod.

And then he was gone. 

Wei WuXian felt fear and anxiety bubble in his chest, but at the very least, he should find their guardians.

There were fewer fire nation soldiers than he had seen come earlier, but he assumed they had retreated to their ships, leaving only those necessary, and, no doubt, Wen Chao was somewhere around. As much as he wanted to kill every guard he saw, he couldn’t stir up trouble, lest they become aware of his or Jiang Cheng’s presence. He could only hope Jiang Cheng followed his lead. 

The waterbenders had been left to rot where they had fallen, and Wei WuXian could only swallow, and try to keep his eyes from the bodies of his fallen brothers and sisters. If he could save all of their bodies, if he could have been stronger, if someone better was the avatar-

In his distraction, he hadn’t noticed a lone soldier patrolling, and had just barely managed to dodge the attack. He broke into a sprint as shouts came, relaying to the others his presence. He couldn’t let them think they needed to call anyone for help, so instead of fighting, he ran through corridors, until the shouts and pounding feet had faded after a shout of “I heard him go this way!” 

He let himself rest for a moment, hoping they had heard another soldier, and that he had at least led them away from Jiang Cheng. 

“Avatar Wei WuXian,” he heard a soft voice say from behind him. 

He attacked before he had even turned, the figure jumping back and raising his hands in surrender, yet his fire nation colors were threat enough. The only thing that kept him from attacking again were the words Lan Yi had spoken to him, still, he maintained his posture. 

“What do you want?” 

“A-avatar Wei WuXian, my name is Wen N-ning! I come from a long line of fire sages forced to swear loyalty to the Fire Lord, but my p-parents, my grandparents, and my allegion is to the avatar,” he told him, stuttering on some words, and having a hard time getting others out. 

He really was too meek for Wei WuXian to continue to act hostile without feeling like a bully. 

“Why are you telling me this?” 

“I… can find somewhere safe for you. The Fire Nation is looking for you-”

“I’m looking for Madame Yu and Jiang FengMian. They deserve a proper burial.”

He saw Wen Ning’s eyes shift a bit, then he looked up and nodded. “I can find a way to get them to you safely.”

“Can you meet me beneath the dock when you have them?” Wen Ning gave another nod.

“I’ll arrange for a boat to take us away… there are a few sages here with me, they’ll help and keep this a secret.”

He regarded him with a bit of hesitation, but nodded. Wen Ning smiled a small, hopeful smile and nodded, turning and running the other way. 

He had almost wanted to tell him to tell Jiang Cheng what he had told him, but gave it a second thought and hoped he didn’t encounter or try to approach Jiang Cheng at all. He would kill him in his rage. 

*******

An eternity had passed since he had retreated to their meeting spot, and neither Wen Ning or Jiang Cheng had shown up, and he found himself full with dread and worry and scenarios where they both got caught while he was here hiding. He was finally snapped out of his panic by the sight of a strange looking shadow approaching. 

Wen Ning’s eyes were worried as he carried a body towards Wei WuXian, but it wasn’t the grown bodies of Madame Yu or Jiang FengMian. The person he was carrying was young, their age, with the awkward limbs of a teenager, just a little more full from exercise, and dressed in the purple of Lotus Pier. 

In his arms, Wen Ning carried the still body of Jiang Cheng. 

Wei WuXian ran out of where he had hidden to wait, and took his brother from Wen Ning. He was alive, but had a few burns and his breathing was shallow. 

“I-I brought him first. The others… the chief and his wife… they weren’t as urgent, b-but I’ve asked the other sages to hide them until you can-“

“You burn them,” Wei WuXian responded, not taking his eyes off of Jiang Cheng’s chest out of fear that it would stop rising and falling the moment he did. “I just didn’t want them to be disrespected. Your sages can burn them.”

“Yes! Y-yes, of course!” Wen Ning said, bowing. “I’ll ask them to do that and bring the remains. For now, we should leave before they notice the prince is no longer in their custody,” he said, and Wei WuXian nodded, climbing in a small canoe that had been prepared, with his brother in his arms.

***

Wen Ning had taken them to a town along the river, and led them inside a well kept estate. It was large, not nearly as large as any of the four nation’s leader’s homes, but still large enough that if anyone had only seen it from the outside, they would assume it served the same purpose. 

He placed them in a room, and Wen Ning helped him place his brother on a bed. 

“Whose territory am I in?” Wei WuXian asked, having seen one too many fire nation insignias. 

Wen Ning hesitated at that, and Wei WuXian stood, and took several steps closer to him, until Wen Ning was cornered. “What other nation have you invaded to establish yourselves here?” He demanded, shoving him, but Wen Ning didn’t fight back, or become angry. 

“None! None, this is Fire Nation territory! No one would think you are here and-“ 

The sound of someone approaching outside made him turn his attention to the door, and take his stance. 

The door opened, a woman stared inside, calling to an unseen person that her brother had tripped and hurt himself, then stepped in and shut the door behind her. 

He knew this woman, or at least knew of her. Wen Qing was a powerful firebender. If it came to a fight between them, he wouldn’t get out of it without acquiring a few scrapes, which was more than he could say about a good deal of people. 

“Drop your stance, avatar,” she said. “It won’t do you any good to kill me, you still need a firebending master.” 

“Why would you teach me?” Wei WuXian asked, but lowered his arms, sparing a glance to Wen Ning. 

“Because you need to stop Wen Chao, because you’re the avatar, and because it is an order left to us by our parents, who had it left to then by their parents, who swore an oath to Avatar Wen Mao to have their line continue to train and protect avatars,” Wen Qing told him. “Even if we are no longer fire sages by name, we continue to bear that responsibility.” 

Wei WuXian nodded, still having his doubts, but tried to look past them. He did need a firebending master after all. He had told Lan WangJi and Lan Yi he would find one. 

She didn’t wait for his response, and moved past him towards his brother, flames resting in her hands, and Wei WuXian was startled out of his thoughts, but in the second he took to try to react, he caught sight of what she was doing.

Energy reading wasn’t a skill he ever had the chance to witness, and it was able to finally sell him on the fact that they were who they said they were. 

Her hands hovered over him, as the flames swayed with every movement. “How is he?” He asked. “What’s wrong with him?” 

“Nothing fatal. He just needs rest,” she responded, but her answer sounded evasive. “Did Wen ZhuLiu...?” 

“Come outside and we will begin your training. A-Ning will look after your brother.” 

Wei WuXian glanced at Wen Ning, who gave him a hesitant smile and a nod. 

“Is your brother not a firebender?” Wei WuXian asked as he followed her.

“He lost his bending years ago,” she answered him. 

“ _ Lost _ ? How is that possible?” 

“The Fire Lord wanted us to offer something to prove our loyalty and show that we no longer held any allegiance to the avatar after Avatar Lan Yi had passed-“

“You  _ offered _ your brother’s bending to Wen Zhuliu so that he wouldn’t kill you-“

“Never! A-Ning… he and the others surrendered it to him in exchange for my place within his court. They told him my bending was worth more than all of theirs and he would regret stripping me of it when he could have made use of it. Of my village… I am the only one still able. I… am the last firebender of the fire sages. Wen Ruohan saw that for what it was, as well as the end of the threat of our turning against him to side with the avatar.” 

“A tyrant is tyrannical,” Wei WuXian responded. 

“Our fire is not in our hands, avatar. Nor is it in Wen RuoHan’s, or anyone’s.” She slapped a hand onto his chest. “Understand that and you will firebend the way the first firebenders did.”

Wei WuXian wasn’t exactly sure what she meant. She as a firebender  _ especially _ had fire in her hands. So did Wen Ruohan, but Wen Qing seemed to have little in the way of patience. She didn’t let him even try to understand it before she began her lesson, stopping abruptly in the center of the courtyard.

“Fire is an unforgiving element. You may not extinguish it, and there is no minor injury from using it in an attack. Water doesn't always injure, earth may only bruise, and air has the ability to disorient at most if it pleases, but fire has an intent. It is alive. You cannot kill it once it is brought to life, you can only contain it. The firebenders of today forget our roots were in life; they forget the duality of fire, and use it for only harm. The village my brother and I are from continue to respect the dragons and their teachings as the first firebenders. Wen Ruohan has killed them all, and the truth behind the properties of fire along with them,” she said, bowing her head for a moment as if in mourning before regaining her strict expression. “Discipline and control are needed to wield it.” 

Wei WuXian nodded, freezing under Wen Qing’s hard stare. “I’ll take this seriously, I swear!” She relented, and nodded, then pushed him down to sit. “Sit there, feel the sun, and breathe. I’ll be back for you when you are done.” 

“ _ What? _ ” Wei WuXian whined. “Just sit here and breathe? I know how to breathe, and I know the sun is hot!” 

Wen Qing fixed Wei WuXian with a glare that quickly shut him up. He made a face, but remained seated and closed his eyes. The first minute he was mostly annoyed at the pointless lesson, surprisingly wishing for Nie MingJue’s abrupt teaching, but it couldn’t be helped. Earthbending was straight forward. It was abrupt, and there was nothing behind it besides a strong will and an unyielding character in the face of anything and everything. Someone like Nie MingJue… he would surely survive the fire nation, he thought, guilt building up in the pit of his stomach once again. 

He had put everyone that had helped them in danger, and had even led to the death of Madame Yu and Jiang FengMian.

Then a certain thought grasped at his heart and made him tense. Was Lotus Pier truly the only one of the bending capitals that had been attacked? Were the Cloud Recesses okay? Was Lan WangJi okay? And Jiang YanLi? His breathing picked up, and he found himself consumed by panic as he considered how disastrous an attack on any of the other nations might be. He needed to ask Wen Qing, he needed to know for sure-

“Avatar WuXian!” Wen Ning yelled, running into the patio he had been hyperventilating in. 

Wei WuXian’s eyes snapped open, and he stood abruptly, running halfway to meet him. “What’s wrong? How’s Jiang Cheng?” 

“He’s… awake,” Wen Ning whispered, eyes wide with fear. 

Wei WuXian pushed past him and ran to the room where Jiang Cheng resided. He was up, throwing things. Wei WuXian entered just as Wen Qing had subdued him with a few quick strikes. He went down with angry tears running down his face and was maneuvered back onto the bed by Wen Ning, who was avoiding his gaze. She turned to face him with a solemn look, and he felt his feet become like lead the closer he got. 

“What’s wrong with my brother?” He asked, but was met with only silence. “What’s wrong with my brother?!” He boomed, grabbing Wen Qing by the wrists hard enough to bruise. 

“You’ll hurt someone if you don’t control this anger,” she responded, calmly. 

“Maybe I should,” he growled back, but pushed her away as he released her, turning to Jiang Cheng instead. 

“Wen Zhuliu cut off his bending,” she told him, a hand on his shoulder. 

“ _ How? _ ” He asked, feeling the tears build up. How could his brother survive knowing such a thing? He was meant to lead Lotus Pier, and he had already lost so much. Now, he had the last part of himself that connected him to their destroyed home.

Wen Qing and Wen Ning remained silent, both knowing they didn’t have an answer for him. 

********

Between being trained by Wen Qing, Wei WuXian took it upon himself to study whatever he could on the subject of taking bending. There was something on lion turtles, but they were as extinct as the dragons, and there was no way Wen ZhuLiu could master such a thing. It wasn’t until he had decided to look into what even allowed bending that he discovered the cause. 

“It’s just bloodbending,” Wei WuXian told Wen Qing excitedly as soon as she stepped into the room with a tray of food. “Madame Yu recognized him when he first came, she called him Zhao Zhuliu, and called him a traitor. I thought she had meant to all the nations, but she meant waterbenders specifically. When we were in the fire nation, he only laid a hand on the waterbender he first did it to. If it were any kind of energy or spiritual ability, it wouldn’t be possessed by someone who sided with the Fire Nation. The spirits wouldn’t teach someone who did not prioritize balance or who was undeserving of such a thing.” He continued enthusiastically. “It was a full moon then, but the waterbender’s attempt at an attack against Wen Chao was too slow! Wen ZhuLiu must have influenced the bender and the water somehow, and to take his bending maybe he just blocked the flow of chi from the inside! Like you temporarily do with chi blocking. If it was bloodbending that did it, maybe I could undo it-“

“You cannot,” Wen Qing responded, slamming the tray down. “Bloodbending is immoral, evil, and it corrupts the mind and the flow of chi. It could break your connection to the avatar state.” 

“I’m a powerful bender whether I’m the avatar or not! I could save the world the way I am! Jiang Cheng would never recover from this,” he argued back. 

“Wei WuXian, you learn bloodbending or use it, and I will no longer be your firebending master,” she threatened. Wei WuXian watched her for a moment before he smiled, then laughed. 

“If you are so concerned about my position as avatar, you won’t give up on teaching me if I learn bloodbending. You believe in the avatar and you believe balance should be restored.”

“I won’t let you do it,” she replied, stubbornly. 

“You can’t stop me from learning bloodbending; I only need you to help me reconnect his flow of chi.”

“You’re putting one life over the fate of the world, and I won’t encourage you,” she said, turning to leave. 

“If it was your brother- if it was Wen Ning, you would do the same! I could hurt him if you don’t help me,” he pleaded. 

“And how are you going to explain to your brother what you’ve given up?” She challenged. 

“I won’t. We’ll tell him that… Baoshan Sanren can undo it. My mother was her student, and she was known as the most gifted and powerful healer of any generation and companion to Yan Li.”

Wen Qing froze by the door, then closed it and stepped back into the room.

“This is not what my family would want from me,” she told him. “This is not what they would want from you, or what any of the past avatars would want from you and when it’s too late you will realize it isn’t what you wanted from yourself, either. If you have anyone you love, you should think about what they would say about this, too.” 

“Is that… what you told yourself when you swore yourself to Wen RuoHan?” He asked, seeing the regret in her own eyes. 

She looked like she wanted to strike him at that, but understood her own shortcomings as well. “It is,” she told him. “And I did it for my brother.” With that, it looked like she finally yielded. “The next full moon will be in a few weeks. We shall train the few days we have on and around it. If you do not pick it up by then, you will have to wait until after the war is ended. You have been missing for months already, and the world needs you more than your brother does.”

Wei WuXian wanted to argue, but her request was reasonable. It had been four months since Lotus Pier had burnt down, and he had trained with Wen Qing all that time. She had taught him everything from spiritual training, to firebending, to chi blocking. Jiang Cheng woke up once more during that time in a rampage, howling about the idiocy of trusting firebenders to board them and trying to attack Wen Ning before Wen Qing sedated him again. She didn’t seem bothered by his words, only stating that it was good that he had recovered so quickly. After that, his brother seemed to have resigned himself to the fact that they were in their care, but that didn’t keep him from treating them harshly. The two siblings endured his glares and stinging comments much better than an ordinary person would, and it seemed to soften Jiang Cheng’s hatred, even a little. Sometimes he would watch as Wei WuXian practiced his newly developed firebending, torn between indignation and pride. Wei WuXian picked up the element much more easily than earth, and Wen Qing’s style was more traditionally beautiful than fierce, while the chi blocking was something new altogether. It was quick, light, and helped him learn a little more about his own bending and flow of chi.

********

“You don’t have to do this. We can find another way-“ 

“I’ve been looking for another way for months!”

“Then you should restore his healing after you defeat the Fire Nation!” Wen Qing argued. “Bloodbend all you want when peace is ensured!” 

Wei WuXian ignored her. How could he explain that Jiang Cheng would suffer from having been useless? Wei Wuxian would at the very least keep his bending. He would still have control of the elements, even if he wasn’t able to access the amplified strength of his past lives, this would be something. Jiang Cheng had lost absolutely everything. He had lost his parents, his home, his bending, and he didn’t know what his brother was capable of in this state. 

Wei WuXian made up his mind, setting his eyes on the elephant rats in the cage before him. He held out his hand, feeling for the water they held within them, then flexed it, standing them straight. The excited chittering became that of panicked, ear piercing and high pitched screeches as they lost control of their bodies with no idea of what was occurring. How could they have any idea? Wei WuXian moved his fingers slightly, and they obeyed his command, facing another direction, with the scream like cries continuing. The sound pierced his ears and his heart, and he wanted to stop, but he hadn’t even fully grasped enough information to help his brother. He shifted his pointer finger, and urged one of the mice’s heads to turn. The screaming felt like it grew louder and louder until he couldn’t hear anything, and before he knew it, his hand flexed and the noise stopped. 

He blinked, and before him were three dead elephant rats, eyes cold, mouths open, and completely still. He felt his breathing pick up, taking in abrupt pants as he saw what he had done. Wen Qing stood him up, and shook her head. “You aren’t meant to do this,” she told him. “We can look for another way.” He remained silent for a long while, staring at the small animals he had killed with tears beginning to form in his eyes. He hadn’t meant to. They had done nothing wrong but...

“I’ve already started this. We’ll continue tomorrow,” he told her, clearing his throat before he stood and returned inside, refusing to look her in the eye. 

**********

They continued, with Wen Qing watching over him as he practiced, as much as she hated it, as much as Wei WuXian could see she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and cover her ears as the progressively large animals he manipulated whimpered and cried out in fear. Her eyes would ever so often look to the supervisory office where both her own brother and Wei WuXian’s rested, and she would clench her jaw, straighten her back, and endure longer. 

In the day, he would learn the duality of fire and at night the duality of water. The neutrality of earth and air pushed to the furthest corner of his mind. On the final day they had where the moon could boost his bending, he told Jiang Cheng of the incredible healing abilities of Baoshan SanRen and led him to an obscure location where he rendered him unconscious and reconnected his chi pathways, with Wen Qing at his side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do u remember watching/ reading the drama, novel, or manhua and going this is nice and all but what’s going to happen IN THE PRESENT??? I know it’s not just me, it was a suggestion on google “ in the untamed when does the flashback end”  
> Anyway, that’s me rn writing this one more to go 😞


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did my best 🥺 I really tried to fit it all in one chapter, but it snowballed until it was 13k words and still incomplete. So, this is the first half of the last part of the flashback! I’m sorry it took so long! I actually really like how this half turned out! I hope you like it ❤️!! Thank you for reading and comments and kudos ❤️!

Wei Wuxian sat in his cell, arms spread out and shackled and his legs chained to the ground. This is how they would give him the small amount of water that would keep him barely alive. They couldn’t afford to have him die and have another avatar replace him. The cell wasn’t unlike the one he had been in months back, but now he was alone.

They had been found at the border between earth kingdom Jin territory, and he had commanded his brother to run. He would be right behind him, they couldn’t fight off that many firebenders. But they definitely could have. They definitely could have, but only for a little while. Then, they wouldn’t be able to lose them once they ran, especially not on land. It was stupid, and reckless, and maybe pointless, but his brother deserved to live. So, he followed long enough for Jiang Cheng to think he would escape with him, and then he had stopped and surrendered. Some of the guards had considered going after Jiang Cheng, so he had put up a fight they couldn’t afford to turn away from, and Jiang Cheng had escaped.

It was for the best. 

He had been in that cage for a month, but it was only him, and that made it okay.

Occasionally, guards would come to prove how much mightier they were than a chained avatar. He was bruised and bloodied and saw no escape within his reach. Even the air they piped in was dry. If he could bring himself to move excessively, he would try to build up a sweat and use that to- he didn’t know what he would do. It would never be enough to push the guard closer to him, and if he simply killed him, he would face harsher restrictions. If he killed all of them, he would be trapped here and eventually die, anyway. And with his connection to his past lives shattered...

Jiang Cheng didn’t know what happened to him and Lan Zhan probably hated him for being a shitty avatar. The thought hurt more than it should have. 

As the sun set, he could feel the energy of the full moon flow through him, and wanted to laugh at the waste. He lay slumped over, watching as an elephant mouse crept into his cell, and remembered his training with Wen Qing after the sun had set. 

He didn’t like the way bloodbending made him feel. He didn’t like feeling like he heard the screams in his head for days after. 

But… he hated that the Fire Nation was advancing in the war as the world wondered where he was. He hated that they thought they got away with what they did to Lotus Pier, the Cloud Recesses, and the Unclean Realm. He hated what they had done to Wen Qing and Wen Ning. 

And for all his hate, it was the guards to his cell that suffered. It was every firebending soldier on the platform, in the halls, at the gates, in the towers, or even within his line of vision that suffered. The screams had become so loud and numerous that they were now a constant buzzing in his head. 

For months, his bloodbending became powerful enough that he no longer needed the full moon, or even the moon at that. His constant practice had sharpened his skills to immense control and precision. Soon, he didn’t even need the hand motions ordinary bending required. 

He had purged a path straight to Lotus Pier. Straight to Wen Chao. 

Wen Xu, responsible for the attack on the Cloud Recesses, had been slaughtered by his own earthbending master. The disappointment he should have felt from not having had a hand in his death didn’t come. If Nie MingJue had been near merciless with him as a student, he would have spared no pain to Wen Xu. 

And he would spare no torment to Wen Chao or Wang LingJiao. He was grateful he had made it in time to witness what they had done to Madame Yu and Jiang FengMian. It had fueled him. Whether it was hate or some sense of righteousness that was the fuel, what did it matter? 

And when their bodies lay shriveled and contorted on the floor alongside Wen ZhuLiu, still wearing his shock on his face, he felt the closest thing to satisfaction he had felt in a while. 

“Wei Ying!” He heard a familiar voice cry out, and turned to see two figures approaching. His brother ran over to embrace him, then struck him in the arm, and he had to clench his teeth to keep his anger at bay. 

This was his brother. This wasn’t one of the guards.

“Where have you been?” His brother asked, his smile bright. “You disappeared for months, everyone thought you were dead!” He scolded, with no real bite to his words. 

“The Fire Nation had captured me for a bit,” he smirked. “They had me so close to their soldiers you’d wonder how a nation so stupid managed to start such a troublesome war,” he said, his eyes shifting for a moment to look over at Lan WangJi. 

“Lan WangJi, are you actually fighting in this war? I thought all airbenders were pacifists,” he said, sounding amused by the mere thought of the airbending monks actually standing on the front lines. “It’s okay, you don’t have to. I can protect the airbenders while they huddle in the Cloud Recesses and preach about peace while the world burns and while they restore their ruined home. Or, I forgot. You’ve accomplished a lot while I was gone. Master Lan WangJi? HanGuang-Jun? Which one do you prefer?” He asked, giving a small bow to Lan WangJi. 

“You are the reason every camp we encountered had corpses that looked like they had been mummified,” Lan WangJi accused. 

“Ah, I’m not sure. What camps have you visited?” Wei WuXian teased, a certain vicious glee in his eyes when his atrocities were mentioned. 

“Wei WuXian!” Lan WangJi snapped, looking as appalled as he could, Wei WuXian was sure. 

“Lan WangJi?” He smiled, drawing out the name and taking a step closer. “If that made you angry, you should fight me, but I’m warning you. That’s a full moon up there, you won’t win.” 

“Come back to the Cloud Recesses with me,” Lan WangJi said, his arm moving slightly, but ultimately staying at his side as he moved closer to Wei WuXian. He froze at that. 

He couldn’t go back without revealing to Lan WangJi that he had severed his link to his past lives. 

He couldn’t ever go back with him, and he couldn’t have Lan WangJi trying or even wanting to bring him back. He schooled his expression and let his voice go cold. 

“Now you want to teach me airbending? No, I don’t think there is anything you can teach me that could make me stronger. You airbenders focus so much on your rules and discipline, I don’t think you’ve even had much time for airbending at all. All anyone at the Cloud Recesses could teach me now are words as fluffed up as the clouds.” He said, feigning boredom. 

“What you are doing will hurt your spirit and your mind-“

“What I am doing, HanGuang-Jun, is bending the element that was allotted to me. How can it be harmful if it is what I am meant to do?” 

When it looked like Lan WangJi was going to say something else, Jiang Cheng stepped in. 

“The avatar should help us end the war. There’s no reason for him to go running off now that he’s finally here to help. Apart from that, you have no authority over him. He doesn’t want to go back with you,” Jiang Cheng finished. 

“It is the avatar’s duty-”

“To restore balance to the world. Unless you plan to fit in lessons between fighting the war, there is nothing that can be done about it, Master WangJi.” 

Lan WangJi’s eyes shifted to Wei WuXian for a moment, who felt that maybe his words were a bit too harsh earlier, but solved that issue by refusing to meet Lan WangJi’s eyes. 

Lan WangJi gave a small nod and left. 

“The grandson of the avatar,” Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Truly must have been a coveted title if he thinks he can order around the current avatar.” 

Wei WuXian nodded absentmindedly, watching as Lan WangJi walked off, but he was suddenly overwhelmed by the echo of screams that filled his head. It snapped to the side for a moment, as if trying to flinch away from the noise, but it continued and all he could do was clench his teeth and wait it out. 

How long would the screams go on this time? He wondered. 

****

Jiang Cheng led him back to the Unclean Realm, which was as impenetrable as the day Wei WuXian had first arrived. From what he had understood, even with Meng Yao’s help, the Fire Nation had been unable to bring down the city. Here, all the forces that had been resisting the Fire Nation had gathered, including, to his surprise, some benders from Koi Tower, most notably Jin ZiXuan. The earthbender had looked at him and scoffed. “Finally decide to join us, avatar?” His words showed more rivalry than contempt, but they had Wei WuXian growing defensive nonetheless. 

Despite his urge to say something back, he walked past the boy, as if he didn’t even exist, and moved through the maze of injured soldiers, his eyes focused on a dainty figure dressed in soothing shades of blue. She was hovering beside an injured earthbender, healing his burns. They were soon wiped away, and Wei WuXian felt a swell of pride in his chest. His sister truly was the best healer of any waterbender. 

Her figure was thinner than it had been when he had last seen her nearly a year ago, and he longed to see her smile and hear her voice, but he dreaded the thought that she would hate him. He hadn’t seen her after he had ruined her engagement, and he didn’t see her after he caused the destruction of Lotus Pier. But he longed to be seen more than he feared being hated. So, with shaking hands, he approached her, and simply stood. Jiang Cheng, to his merit, allowed him to have this moment of hesitation, and simply stood by, a spectator to their reunion.

“YanLi,” he whispered, fear smothering his voice. Her figure froze, and she whispered soothing words to the man as she stood, and turned to him, tears welling up in their eyes until they spilled over, and the two were suddenly in an embrace. 

She had seemed smaller now, and he was more willing to believe that she had grown smaller than he could comprehend that he had grown taller. “My a-Xian, my little brother,” she sniffled into his chest and let out what could have been a sob or a laugh. “You’ve gotten so big! I didn’t get to see my little brother grow, and now the avatar stands before me instead.”

“I didn’t grow, a-jie,” he laughed. “I’m still little.” 

“My little avatar,” she laughed, pulling back. “Come,” she said, taking his and Jiang Cheng’s hands in her own. “I’ll get you both something to eat.” 

Jiang Cheng gently pulled away. “I should go speak to Nie MingJue. You two go ahead,” he said with a smile he never thought his brother would turn towards him again. 

****

When they were finally alone in a quiet room within the Nie Residence, his sister’s eyes slowly became more concerned before they shifted to happiness again. “You’ve gotten so skinny,” she told him.

“That’s because no food was as good as my sister’s, I didn’t want to eat it,” he joked, earning a smile from Jiang YanLi. 

“I'll bring you some soup, but… a-Xian where have you been?” She asked, letting her tone finally show her concern. 

“A-Jie, it’s just avatar things. I was training with new masters so that I could be more helpful. I’ve even mastered fire,” he told her, forcing excitement to express itself in his voice. “And I’ve learned new techniques.” 

“A-Xian, you’re already such a good avatar. Don’t force yourself too much, okay? You should eat and rest properly. We’re all standing behind you, too. Your masters and me and a-Cheng, and the three nations.” She told him, then, with a final smile, she left the room. 

Wei WuXian was left alone to consider her words. The three nations? There was so little left of both the Water Tribes and the Air Nomads that they couldn’t form a single nation if they had tried. The two different earthbending capitals would only remain allies until this war ended, then the Jins would go back to looking down at the rest of the world. 

****

That night, there was a banquet in his honor, with all the leaders involved in the war waxing poetic to the grandness of the avatar and his achievements up until then. It felt nauseating to hear such words from men without a single drop of blood on their clothing, but he kept quiet, if only because he held respect for his host and earthbending master. And so, he let men chatter on about how they had the fire nation on the run, knowing they had only joined their forces out of cowardice, and for Nie, Jin, and Jiang protection without lifting their own weight in any battle. 

“Where is HanGuang-Jun?” His sister asked, and Wei WuXian felt himself tense at the mention of his name. 

“I wouldn’t know,” he responded, avoiding his sister’s gaze as he took a swig of his wine. 

“You had written to me so often about him. I had assumed you two were close,” she responded, and Wei WuXian could hear the concern in her voice for the second time that day. 

“Did I?” He asked, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’m feeling tired,” he mumbled, and stood and left too quickly to leave any room for protest or questions. 

He wandered the courtyard of the Nie estate, and thought he recognized some of the scars left on the land as his own handiwork, but he didn’t pause to thoroughly inspect. It was an insignificant mark. Especially compared to the singes and scorch marks that were a stark contrast against the brown earth. What meaning did marks only he remembered have on those that could be so easily seen? 

He walked a few feet further, and thought he heard a familiar groan. 

It was something he should have left in the past, along with his friendship with Lan WangJi, but he could never blame or criticize an animal for a human war. The only curious thing was it’s presence, he thought as he drew closer to the noise, cautiously. He didn’t know what explanation he would offer to Lan WangJi if he saw him, or even what words he could offer at all. 

But he wasn’t anywhere near the large mass of horned fur that lounged along the wall of the Nie residence. Bichen let out another noise when he saw Wei WuXian, and Wei WuXian couldn’t help his automatic reaction when he saw the beast, and ran to him and began to pet him, a smile spreading on his lips. 

“Did you miss me?” He asked, laughing when Bichen licked him. “Have you run away from HanGuang-Jun again? What’s your owner supposed to do with such an unruly animal?” He teased, then began to circle him. “Such a strong bison, a true warrior. No mark left from those rotten firebenders!” He laughed again when Bichen spun with him and attempted to nudge him. 

“Thanks to your healing,” he heard a voice say, and felt himself freeze, and his heart drop. How was he supposed to face Lan WangJi after everything he had said to him?! He’d been caught red handed!!

He let his hand drop, and turned, giving a small bow. “Ah… HanGuang-Jun is too generous. My healing is mediocre, I could only do so much.” 

“Avatar WuXian healed me, too.” 

Wei WuXian gave a strained smile. “If Master WangJi would excuse me.” 

He quickly turned and left, unwilling to allow Lan WangJi to get back on the topic of the Cloud Recesses. If he went back, he would find out what he had done, and he couldn’t face seeing Lan WangJi find out he turned out to be as terrible an avatar as he had probably expected. 

****

Wei WuXian wanted to ask his brother why Lan WangJi hadn’t returned to the Cloud Recesses, but he didn’t want his brother to come to any of his anger invoking conclusions. He also wanted to ask his sister, but he didn’t want her to worry or ask him about his relationship with Lan WangJi because it was… complicated. The question was answered by refugees the next morning as they saw Lan WangJi walk by, and greeted him enthusiastically while he and Jiang YanLi healed those who needed it. 

Lan XiChen had returned in the middle of the war, just before him, and had been away, protecting and relocating benders and nonbenders in order to ensure their safety as the two sides’s clashes were often destructive and uncontrolled. Lan WangJi had been doing the same, and since he had one of the few remaining bisons, he had been incredibly essential in this effort. He took refugees to the safety of the Unclean Realm and then to relatives, friends, or to a fresh start when they had located someplace safe. 

The people had nothing but good things to say about HanGuang-Jun, who had truly earned his title, and the things they said made him both proud to have been friends with such a person and that other people understood how good he was, too, but also caused an ache in his chest. 

He had let one of the best people he knew down. 

Wei WuXian stayed silent as children, adults, and the elderly spoke of how polite he was, of how he had come like a beacon of light to their destroyed villages and carried them away. He wished he could have been there. He wished he could have helped, but he was instead killing and torturing firebenders, he thought, wincing at the memory.

It was fine. They couldn’t win this war with compassion alone. Someone needed to get their hands dirty and better him than Lan WangJi. 

****

And dirty his hands he did. The first battle the other benders had been exposed to his bloodbending, it felt like everyone had stopped. He thinks he saw some benders turn green at the state the bodies were left in, and when the battle had been won, he heard murmurs throughout the campsite. 

It was fine. They had won the battle faster; the fire nation and firebenders had no way to combat bloodbending, and they dropped dead by the dozens. Still, Nie MingJue had visited him once the battle had ended and he resided in his tent and spoke to him about his distaste for such a technique. 

“I’m just being resourceful, Master. You created metalbending on the same premise,” he had waved him off, but Nie MingJue wasn’t waved off so quickly. 

“It is a slap in the face to traditional bending! The avatar must not display such blatantly evil methods!” 

“Master, with all due respect, I have single-handedly taken down firebending camps with my new bending style. The fire nation army far outnumbers ours, and their flames spread faster than we can extinguish them. We have an advantage, we should use it. I still don’t have control over the avatar state, so relying on it would be too flimsy,” he argued. 

He saw as Nie MingJue’s jaw clenched. “You will cease this method after the war.” 

“This method will no longer be of any use after the war,” Wei WuXian agreed, and he meant it. Bloodbending had been meant to save his brother, then to save himself, and now to save the four nations. He also didn’t hold enough hatred for anyone else to use such a style against them. 

Nie MingJue gave a nod, and turned to leave his tent, but paused for a moment. “I am glad you are well, and I’m sorry about Lotus Pier. If I had known, Lotus Pier would have had the Unclean Realm’s support.” 

“Thank you, master. I was relieved when I found out the Unclean Realm survived, as well,” he told him, and sensed how tense the air was between them when Nie MingJue only nodded, then stepped out. 

If they had held the same relationship when he had studied under Nie MingJue, the man would have feigned offense and roared over how dare he doubt the Unclean Realm and his own master’s strength, and Wei WuXian would have continued to poke at him until Nie MingJue would fling something at him. Had he really come back so different that he hadn’t even found the energy to do it, and that Nie MingJue had responded accordingly?

Maybe when the war was over, everything would go back to the way it was. Maybe he could patch things over with his old friends, but… not Lan WangJi.

Never Lan WangJi. 

He just wouldn’t learn air, and he could hide his state from everyone, but not Lan WangJi. 

It would be fine.

****

The war dragged on for months, and Wei WuXian occasionally caught glimpses of Lan WangJi or BiChen, but pretended he hadn’t. Little by little, they claimed back territory and pushed the Fire Nation a step back at a time, but there was little success on the fronts where Wei WuXian was not. There, the Fire Nation spilled over once again. It was impossible, it was like trying to cut through a stream with your hand, and having the water continue to flow around it unperturbed. 

The bloodbending was getting out of hand. It had been nearly a year since he had begun, and he found that he relied on it heavily now. It leveled the field before the other benders joined in, and it settled battles, but the war and the screams consumed his mind. He was losing sleep and sanity. The end to his own torment was so distant, and his bending became chaotic and vicious as he tried to rush to the end. Men died much more easily, even those who fled, almost those on their own side. 

Almost his own sister when she had stepped into his tent while he was trying to hush the horrors he had seen and heard. That was when he understood the dangers of it, and tried to shift out of it. Surely, his waterbending would be enough, he had told himself, and it was. 

It was until his torment returned, and the men dropped like the elephant rats in the cage. Mouths open, eyes wide, completely lifeless. 

Who could he talk to about this? There was no one but Wen Qing, and he had no idea where he could find her. 

It was a miracle in and of its own that he had struck Jin ZiXuan with his own fists instead of having killed him then and there when he saw his sister in tears in front of him. Maybe he would have, if his sister and Lan WangJi weren’t suddenly beside him, with MianMian in front. She rushed to explain the details and the misunderstanding that had passed between them.

All the pent up frustration and anger and recklessness were no match for them. He lowered his arm and, with a final look to Jin ZiXuan, turned and left the tent. 

“Wei Ying,” he heard at the same time he felt an arm on his bicep. “Come,” Lan WangJi said, and dragged him into a tent with the airbender insignia.

He didn’t really know why he let himself be dragged. He could have torn out of Lan WangJi’s grip easily, but… he wouldn’t, if only out of respect. 

“What could HanGuang-Jun want with the avatar alone in his tent?” He teased, trying to get tossed out like he knew Lan WangJi would do. 

Except, he didn’t. 

He couldn’t even get him to mutter a “shameless “ or “ridiculous” or even a “Get lost.” It almost felt as if his own words were incomplete. Instead, Lan WangJi leveled him with a look that he couldn’t quite pinpoint. 

“Wei Ying, your bloodbending is not letting you think straight. You must stop,” he told him, standing closer than Lan WangJi ever would of his own volition. 

“Lan Zhan, I promised Master MingJue I would after the war was over. As it is, the war isn’t over. Unless you’re willing to pick up my slack when I stop bloodbending, there is nothing that can be done. The war will be ended faster this way, and less people will get hurt by the Fire Nation,” he said, and began heading out.

“I will.” 

Wei WuXian froze with a hand already reaching to push the flap open. He turned his head, unsure if he had heard correctly, or anything at all. “You will? You will what?” 

“I… will fight in the war if it means Wei Ying will stop bloodbending.” 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Lan Zhan. Other people need you, and we have enough soldiers. There’s no excuse you could give your brother or uncle to explain why you chose to fight.”

“There is not,” Lan WangJi agreed, and Wei WuXian looked at him as if he were crazy. 

“Then why would you?” He asked, with an incredulous laugh. 

“Wei Ying said-“

“I know what I said! Lan Zhan, you’re bluffing, and I’m not falling for it. You could be exiled from the Cloud Recesses for taking another life, and that’s all this war is. If that’s all you wanted to say, I’m leaving.” 

****

Lan WangJi had disappeared the next day, and Wei WuXian had chalked it up to him having gone somewhere else to bring back more refugees. 

Of course he was bluffing yesterday, he thought. Lan Zhan wasn’t meant to get his hands dirty like this, and the words felt like venom when he had said them. He shouldn’t have, and he especially shouldn’t have said them to Lan WangJi, who was trying just as hard in this war as anyone else, but it was true. The sooner it ended, the sooner he could keep his promise to Nie MingJue. 

But Lan WangJi didn’t come back. 

Not within the week.

Not within the month. 

Some soldiers had begun marching off as well, another front needed more assistance. Within the month, they had returned, giving stories of how they were passed from base to base, saying they were no longer needed, and the territory had already been reclaimed every time they had arrived. 

One had even commented to Zewu-Jun during a feast celebrating their most recent victory that “that brother of yours sure is something else. We should expect nothing less from the grandson of Avatar Lan Yi,” to which Zewu-Jun had only responded with a small nod and polite thank you before excusing himself. 

Wei WuXian desperately wanted to know what was going on with Lan WangJi, but his stubborn pride kept him from doing so.

*****

The war ended another half a year later when Meng Yao had pierced Wen RuoHan’s heart. They told tales of how he infiltrated Wen RuoHan’s court and pretended to shift his loyalty to him, and had even convinced the paranoid man to allow him to keep his bending. 

Jin GuangShan picked him back up then, wanting a piece of that glory, and, as the nation that had lost the least, was easily able to place LanLing and its capital of Koi Tower above the rest, all the way feigning sympathy, help, and camaraderie. In all his generosity, he held a banquet for the brave heroes of the war in tandem with the Three Nation’s Conference, now named for the ones that remained three months after the fact. Enough time for everyone to regain themselves. 

****

“We all would not be here if not for the cooperation and teamwork of every nation and minor village and its leaders,” Jin GuangShan said, ensuring himself the support of those he praised, and Wei WuXian let out an audible scoff, which earned him an elbow to the ribs and a glare from his brother. 

This was ridiculous, he was just as happy being forbidden entry into Koi Tower and LanLing. In fact, he would take being a persona non grata in the eyes of the Jin family than watching the man fluff himself up with self praise all the while hinting, not so subtly, that since LanLing and Jin earth kingdom territory had been the least affected, they would be happy to oversee things until the others got back on their feet. 

“Most importantly, to the cooperation and assistance from HanGuang-Jun” Wei WuXian heard again, and again, Zewu-Jun responded with the distant thank you. 

“Why has he not come today?” The man pressed, only to have any answer pushed aside as Jin GuangYao spoke up.

“Several of our heroes, whether alive or otherwise have been unable to join us. That should not keep us from remembering them as we celebrate what our combined efforts have accomplished,” he declared, and his sudden speech was received well, brushing away any anger Jin GuangShan might have at going unanswered or being interrupted. 

“Let the competition begin, then! Out of respect for the engagement between my son and Lady Jiang-“

“Former engagement,” Wei WuXian corrected Jin GuangShan, who was no doubt trying to gloss over the multiple slights to his sister and recover the engagement. “Do not forget what your son has said about my sister.”

Jin GuangShan was beginning to become red with anger, and Jin GuangYao fidgeted behind him. 

“Out of the good relations between our two nations, we will allow the Water Tribe to choose who will represent them in the first round of our friendly competition,” he finished. 

“I will represent Lotus Pier,” Wei WuXian stated, making his way into the arena.

“The avatar may not compete!” Nobleman Yao cried out among murmurs and gasps. 

“What little face Lotus Pier would have in allowing you to represent them!” Jin ZiXun added, taking several steps towards Wei WuXian. 

“Is it that I am avatar or that I am a powerful bender that offends you?” Wei WuXian responded. “Or… is it our last match that worries you?” He pushed, playing Jin ZiXun like the prideful man he was. 

“Young Master ZiXun, truly, what is the problem with Avatar WuXian competing? It is a friendly match, is it not? Certainly, it can’t be said that anyone here believes the avatar would pull any underhanded tricks or use every element he has learned against any competitor, besides, he is just newly a man! Experience cannot be an issue, and any ability he has was built on his own hard work. Is it the title that is feared, or is it the fear of losing to a powerful bender? If that were the case, let us end this competition, no one is willing to lose, so no one may win,” Nie MingJue argued, and Wei WuXian gave his master a small nod of gratitude. 

“I will even make things easier to set Young Master ZiXun at ease. I will blindfold myself and use the last element I have mastered,” Wei WuXian said. “A blindfolded avatar using the last element they learned. How does that sound? Fair?” 

Jin ZiXun huffed, but gave an imperceptible nod. If Wei WuXian was using the last element he learned, surely that would be earth, and he thought it absolutely impossible that Wei WuXian could best him when it came to earthbending. “Fine.”

Wei WuXian nodded. He stripped off everything but the pants he wore and the ribbon used to cover his eyes, and Jin ZiXun had done the same. Feet bare, he connected to the earth, while the heat of the sun coated his bare skin. He felt Jin ZiXun’s heartbeat and his location like Nie MingJue had taught him.

When the fight finally began, Wei WuXian listened to the earth for Jin ZiXun’s first move. He felt the earth begin to mold and shift under the will of something to the west, and immediately dodged, striking full force towards where he knew Jin ZiXun was. He heard the gasps and screams as fire filled the sparring ground. Several more people landed on the sparring ground, and Wei WuXian got the urge to strike at them, too, but restrained himself, at least until he thought another attack was inevitable.

“Have I won so quickly?” He mocked. 

“Wei WuXian!” He heard the voice of Nobleman Yao. “Of course you would be the one to break the one rule in place!” 

“Rule? I haven’t broken any, and I’m even staying within the boundaries I set myself. I’m still blindfolded, and am using the last element I learned.”

“You’ve learned firebending from the Wens!” Jin ZiXun accused. 

“I’ve learned firebending from the dragons,” Wei WuXian corrected. 

Someone scoffed to his right, “The Wen clan killed the last of the dragons. They hunted them for sport and to prove their firebending matched the power and ferocity of the first teachers. Is that where you disappeared to for so long? What did you give the Wens to get a teacher?” 

“Avatar WuXian, the point that I’m sure most of us find conflict with is that firebending has harmed many of us here and even our families. It’s a bit of a sore point and a taboo at the moment,” Jin GuangYao added, his voice soft in a clear attempt to avoid conflict. He had been the one responsible for organizing this and his own reputation was on the line. 

He wanted to scoff at that. As if he hadn’t personally led a battalion of firebenders himself to harm the Unclean Realm. His very presence and status was a slap to Nie MingJue. He had seen the man’s anger the final day of the battle when they had returned. 

“Jin Zixun allowed Avatar WuXian to set the parameters of the fight. He surely thought they were the last of the avatar's teachers before the fire nation invaded. He should have asked him to make the element he was using known so that he would be prepared,” Jiang YanLi said, stepping into an arena full of men and benders to stand between them and her brother. 

“With all due respect Lady Jiang, firebending is forbidden in this event!” Another man stated.

“How can that be? Since when has firebending been forbidden in an event such as this? The fire nation used to be invited along with all others.”

“And now they are not!” 

“Precisely because they are not, I would like to know how you have banned firebending if you did not expect a firebender to come.” 

“It’s common sense!”

“Then, shall my brother switch to earthbending?” Jiang YanLi challenged. “He has learned firebending. You have fought firebenders, against and for this competition. Jin ZiXun, that you were unaware that my brother was the avatar and must master fire is no fault of his. If it helps at all, I would like to inform you that he will next learn air.” 

“He may not switch to earth! He said he would use only a single element and that was fire! He has already used fire to weaken Jin ZiXun. Using earth would break his own rules.”

“And you are continuing to forbid fire?” Jiang YanLi asked, her voice growing notably enraged, despite her continued quiet and gentle tone. 

“It’s against the rules,” the men stated matter of factly. 

“You could have just as easily told him he would not be allowed to fight because he was stronger than you as Master MingJue suggested and spared yourselves the embarrassment of admitting you will view anything stronger than you as a breach of unsustained rules,” she chastised, putting her hand on Wei WuXian’s back. “A-Xian, let’s head back.”

“A-Li! There’s no reason for you to head back! The banquet tonight will be wonderful, you must stay,” Madame Jin pleaded. “Fight the Avatar! Or do you not believe you could even last long enough to save some face! A-Li, please forgive Jin GuangYao for his incompetence for not making rules clear and offending you and the avatar.” 

“Please excuse us, Madame Jin,” she said beside him, and began to leave before Wei WuXian stopped her. 

He wasn’t just going to bend to the nonsense the others, led by Jin ZiXun, had decided upon. He had defeated Jin ZiXun once, he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of having believed he’d won.

“There’s no need, ShiJie,” he told her, taking his stance again. “Surely, Jin ZiXun is not so intimidated by me that he would be unwilling to fight me while I bend no element. It would be a shame if he didn’t improve at all in two years,” he challenged, knowing Jin ZiXun would take the bait. 

“Clear the arena,” he heard Jin ZiXun say after a wave of murmurs surrounded them once again, and he couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at his lips. 

As soon as the battle commenced, he was upon Jin ZiXun, blocking his chi flow, and leaving him a paralyzed, twisted figure in the dirt. He removed his blindfold, bowed to the crowd, and left the shocked cries and gasps behind him. He thinks he might have even heard Jin GuangShan’s command of “Avatar! Undo this!” But, what were they going to do? Ban him from LanLing and Koi Tower again? 

**** 

He had been wandering around LanLing, his anger long since dissipated to annoyance when a figure approached him. 

“Avatar WuXian,” he heard the solemn voice of his master. 

****

Wei WuXian sauntered back into Koi Tower, uncaring of the way all eyes turned to him and people mumbled of his audacity to return to the Jin family's celebration after he had attacked Jin ZiXun. The person in question who was currently boasting that LanLing would have survived without Lan WangJi’s intervention and that the man did very little to actually help, and how could he have, being only an airbender with their infinite restrictions.

“You have a lot of nerve to disrespect the customs of the people who took part in training the avatar,” he told Jin ZiXun, savoring the way the man startled at the sound of his voice.

The man seethed at that. “You think your title so important that even those associated with you deserve to be venerated?”

“I do.” Wei WuXian responded. “Isn’t that why the Jin family wanted to train me, as well?” He smirked, and saw the way the memories passed through Jin ZiXun’s eyes of the humiliation his family met at his hand. “You should apologize to HanGuang-Jun, but it isn’t only the airbenders I seek retribution for.” 

Jin GuangYao quickly stepped up, bowing to him and giving him a smile as he attempted to diffuse the situation before it went further.

“Avatar WuXian, there is no need for such things. I will apologize for whatever trouble we may have caused you-“

“But you don’t care about the trouble you’ve caused others?” He accused.

“Wei WuXian!” He heard his brother call out, but ignored the very obvious reprimand in his voice.

“Avatar WuXian, what is this about?” Nie MingJue asked. 

“The Jin family and the earthbenders of LanLing have almost completely eradicated the Fire Nation and its firebenders!” He snarled, pointing to Jin GuangShan. “After the death of Wen RuoHan, they should have been left at peace! You dare try and overturn the balance of this world?!” 

“What is the meaning of this, Lord Jin?” Nie MingJue demanded. 

“It was only a matter of time before they rose up again. We’ve only reduced their numbers so as to control any future problems.” 

“And you’ve enslaved the firebenders left, including one of my masters and the fire sages. Where are they?” He said, taking a step closer to Jin GuangShan, completely bypassing Jin ZiXun and Jin GuangYao. 

“Avatar WuXian, regardless of your title, you have no right to storm into Jin territory and demand answers from an elder and ruler of one of the greatest cities of the four nations at that!” Jin GuangShan tried to reprimand, his face having gone red. 

“You do not dictate the balance of this world nor have the right to meddle with it, even Wen RuoHan and the Fire Nation didn’t when they were in the position you strive for, and when they reached it, I tore them back down and cut off one of their heads. You’ll do well to remember that lesson.” 

Jin GuangShan jumped out of his seat, but made no move to get closer to Wei WuXian, not even as close and Jin ZiXun or Jin GuangYao were. “Are you threatening me! Avatar, the power has gone to your head-“ 

“I have not begun to threaten you, but if I spend another minute wasting time here with you, you will get a demonstration of what I did to those who used power to disrupt the balance, and that is a threat.” 

“You dare-“

Wei WuXian couldn’t stand another second wasted and took his frustration out on Jin GuangShan, who suddenly became stiff. “Where are the firebenders?” 

“Avatar WuXian!” 

“Jin GuangShan, I could kill you in a hundred ways. At the moment, I am trying to decide, and if I do not have an answer before my decision…” He trailed off, clenching his fist. 

Jin GuangShan was proud, but he was a coward, and when he felt the loss of control he panicked, but at the feeling of another controlling him he confessed. “Q-QiongQi Path!” 

“Hm,” Wei WuXian said, and immediately released him, turning to leave without a word. 

“Avatar WuXian!” He heard a voice call out, and saw Nie HuaiSang return to him the waterskin full of water from the Cloud Recesses. In his hurry to leave the last time, he had forgotten it, and in his avoidance of Lan WangJi, he had no time to ask for it. Not that he really needed it. When was the last time he had bended water? 

He took it from Nie HuaiSang with a nod, and continued on his way. 

*****

Wen Qing and Wei WuXian wasted no time in heading out. His outburst was reckless, and they had to make sure they could reach QiongQi Path before any messenger could. Wen Qing had nearly killed him for increasing any animosity Jin GuangShan might have had against the firebenders and, consequently, her brother, and it felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. 

“Your actions and your words have consequences, Wei WuXian!” She had snarled, and the race was on. 

*****

It was a different kind of feeling than when he had rushed to Lotus Pier. He felt as if he had a countdown to destruction back then. Now, the possibility that they were already dead loomed over their heads. It felt as if there was a specter of death at their heels, ahead of them, or even a single stride ahead of them, and that would be enough. 

When they had reached QiongQi Path, night had fallen, along with the first rain of the season. Two guards in Jin earthbending attire stopped them, and by their nonchalance, it was evident that they had made it first. 

“Where are the firebenders?” He asked once, and when the answer that began to form on one of the men’s lips didn’t resemble one he was looking for, he used his bloodbending to hoist them a foot in the air, much to Wen QIng’s surprise. “I did not come here for riddles or games. The earthbenders under the rule of Jin GuangShan have committed an unpardonable offense against the balance of this world, and if you continue to stand in my way-”

“W-We haven’t hurt any of them! We’re just guarding them to make sure they don’t try to attack again.” 

Wei WuXian let them crash against the ground as he and Wen Qing continued onward to a wall of earth that Wei WuXIan shattered and continued moving without pause. Whatever guard tried to stop them was quickly swept away by waves of water that was currently abundant. He wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a camp, a settlement, or a pit the firebenders were expected to waste away and die in, but there was no word that described it more than ‘decayed.’ Wen Qing made her way through the settlement, collecting firebenders, and asking them about her brother, but he wasn’t anywhere to be found among those she found.

“Young Master was no longer able to work or move very well. They… they struck him for stopping to assist one of the elders and speaking against them and he collapsed. The noise was awful; he couldn’t stand or move. They carted him off, as if he were nothing more than-”

“When?” Wen Qing asked, all the desperation of the past days. Weeks? Months? In her tone. 

“Two days ago. No one has seen him since.” 

Wei WuXian brought a guard over to himself. “Where do you keep your dead and dying?” He demanded. 

“No-Noone here has died. These are all the firebenders that we were given!”

“Don’t you dare lie to me!” He roared, reducing the man to a trembling mess. 

“I-it was an accident! We just meant to scare them! H-He stood in the way of the feint!” 

“Where did you dump his body?” Wei WuXian asked, and he saw the man hesitate once more, and made sure it would be the last time. 

The corpse fell to the ground, limbs distorted, and expression terrified. The firebenders stepped back in fear, but Wen Qing made sure they didn’t run, and soothed them as best as she could. 

Wei WuXian kicked off his shoes, and brought it hard against the ground until he found a mass that didn’t report itself back as earth, but… it was substantial. 

With a look back to Wen Qing, they hurried off to investigate, considering it was currently their best bet. If it had been two days, they wouldn't have much time, if any at all. A blow that would have left Wen Ning paralyzed and broken could have led to internal bleeding, broken ribs, and any other major injury that they needed to address immediately. 

They had reached the edge of a cliff, and had barely stopped in time to keep them from slipping over the edge from the muddy ground, and persistent rain. It was too steep to climb down.

He grabbed hold of Wen Qing, and rushed them down, with Wen Qing running out of his grasp as soon as they had touched the ground. 

She made a choked off sound once they could see how many bodies littered the ground.

Each and every single one in the red of the fire nation. 

Each one that survived the war and tyranny. Each one forced out of their homes by the Jin family, he thought as he tried to keep his tears back and his bile down. He ran through them, avoiding any disrespect by stepping on them, as anger, despair, and disbelief swirled in his mind until he felt dizzy. If he hadn’t seen proof that any were left at all, this would have looked like the end of the fire nation.

So many lives lost, even some children and women littered around. 

“A-Ning!” Wen Qing called out, running through the corpses, but it was a slow process. 

Every corpse that resembled him in stature and facial features had to be carefully examined in order to see through the veil of darkness and rain.

“A-Ning!” She continued to cry out, more as a plea the longer they searched. 

Wei WuXian had just picked up a corpse for a closer look when he heard an earth shattering screaming. It felt as if it pierced through the rain and slowed time. 

He released the body he had in his arms and ran to his firebending master, feeling as if he would never reach her. 

In her arms she held a body, and when he dropped to his knees beside her, he recognized the face.

Wen Ning was… dead. His corpse was still warm as he lay in Wen Qing’s arms, the two siblings covered in mud and surrounded by the bodies of other firebenders. 

He couldn’t process it.

He couldn’t think clearly, but it couldn’t end like this! Every part of himself told him it couldn’t be the end, and he still had one more thing to try, or, that is, only one thing to try. 

Wen Qing could not even pass for a shadow of her past strength or composure in that moment, and it devastated him, but as she released one of his hands to cradle his face, the hand dropped.

His body was warm, his mind supplied as well, and for a moment he felt hope surge in his chest, followed by a deep seated fear of losing it.

“T-The Cold Springs in the Cloud Recesses heal the body and the mind,” he choked out, pulling open his waterskin and wrapping the water in his hands as he laid them over Wen Ning. 

He was a mess. His ribs had been crushed, some organs punctured, it was a wonder he had survived two days at all. 

He felt as everything knitted itself together, but didn’t feel a response other than that.

For a moment, he felt nothing. 

It felt pointless and heavy, and he avoided Wen Qing’s gaze so he wouldn’t have to see as the hope left her eyes and her heart was shattered for the second time. 

Then, he felt a movement in his palm. Like the first flame he held, and he let out an incredulous puff of air as it continued to pulse under his hands and as the chest began to rise and fall, albeit with a bit of difficulty.

He looked up at Wen Qing with tears in his eyes and gave her a teary laugh, that made her begin to sob again as she cleared the hair out of her brother’s face. 

When he felt Wen Ning was healed enough to move him, he helped all three of them back up to the other firebenders. 

And the earthbenders.

“‘Didn’t hurt any of them?’” Wei WuXian spat back at them, as soon as they were back on solid ground. Whether they knew what he meant or not, they couldn’t have been innocent. Any of the other leaders of the remaining nations could have been informed and this would have ended. They couldn’t have feigned ignorance when there was a pile of dead bodies at the edge of this settlement, and no fool could believe all those people had fallen. They had been tossed over the edge dead or dying because they weren’t looked at as people. Not the men, the women, or the children they slaughtered to “keep their numbers down,” as Jin GuangShan had put it. 

His words were all the warning they received before their contorted bodies hit the ground. 

Without a backwards glance, carrying Wen Ning, and with Wen Qing by his side, he commanded the firebenders left onto ostrich horses and they rode out.

They had passed through the first barrier, and should have passed through the second just as easily, since the guards should have either been dead, or have had escaped.

But their horses came to an abrupt stop, pulling back as a familiar white beast landed before their little entourage, making all the others draw back in fear as Wei WuXian moved forward, dismounting at the same time Lan WangJi did. 

Lan WangJi who had been gone up until now.

Who had left after their last fight, yet now stood here just to fight him again. His movements… seemed slower, more careful. He wanted to be concerned, yet a part of his brain on survival mode told him it would make things easier. He quickly shook that thought away. He would never hurt Lan WangJi; he could never do anything to deserve it. 

“Let us through, Lan Zhan,” he told him, his voice calmer than his entire being felt.

“You killed those men,” Lan WangJi accused. “You said you would no longer bloodbend after the war ended.”

“I couldn’t risk any of them being hurt. Lan Zhan, step to the side,” he pleaded. 

Lan WangJi remained quiet and stood his ground. 

“They were tortured, murdered, and enslaved!” He yelled. “They’ve already killed too many to count and these are the last of the firebenders, and they need me! How can I be the avatar if I do nothing to help those who need it?! How can you stand in our way while these things happen?! Do you not see the injustice I see, Lan Zhan?” He was quiet for a moment, knowing that he could be because Lan WangJi would not speak a word. He hardly ever did. “I hope you don’t realize the injustice being committed, Lan Zhan. I hope I cannot think you so terrible that you see how wrong it is to kill innocent men, women and children for the colors they wear and still stand to the side and let it happen. Because… if you can, and you do, you’re not the person I hoped you were. I thought… you would at least uphold the balance with me, and see what was right and wrong when the world skewed the definition. I thought you were... “ my soulmate he wanted to say, but it now sounded silly to say that to someone who disliked him so much. Someone who had come to stop him after having refused to see him for so long. “To you… What is right and what is wrong?” He asked him, feeling his chest tighten as he waited for an answer. 

Except.. Lan WangJi stepped to the side, his eyes not meeting Wei WuXian’s as he nodded, and Wei WuXian let his gaze linger for a moment before he remounted and spurred the ostrich horses into motion, leaving Lan WangJi behind, and wondering if it was the last time he would see the other. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is gonna diverge a bit from the series, mostly because I’m getting really bored of following a straight line of plot translation. It’ll still have the essence of it, but not the full body. It’s also gonna have more time skips on account of the fact that theres a lot to cover and i’m over the flashback. We gone speedrun through this bitch.   
> Anyway, I was mostly playing hopscotch with the plot so I did skip a few things 👀

Once they had made it away from QiongQi Path, they had realized that yhere had been no place for them left in the world. They couldn’t settle as refugees within the remaining nations without giving up their own culture, nor could they return to what had previously been the fire nation, as it had become stained, so Wei WuXian had made a new place for them. They traveled for days on little food and less rest until they had reached Serpent’s Pass far into the ocean in an area that was largely non bender settlements off the coast of waterbending territories. 

He had grown up on enough stories about Serpent’s Pass to know that no waterbender would dare travel into the waters that were home to a vicious creature, nor could they if they wanted to. Once Wei WuXian had found a solid, flat island they could comfortably fit, he collapsed the entire pass that surrounded them. 

Anyone who would try by boat would attract the serpent, and anyone who would try through bending would attract the avatar.

It was a mostly empty threat. The last time he had bloodbended it was to restore Wen Ning’s bending. Wen Qing had been horrified by what he had done in QiongQi Path, and had ordered him to stop bloodbending, and he didn’t feel any need to do it anymore, anyway.

It was  _ not _ because he was scared of her and her chi blocking and lightning bending. 

Still, he felt guilty when she had instructed him to stop. He felt he should at least do some good with it and had offered to restore firebending to the elders and those he had brought with them before he did, but they had declined. He had been caught off guard and repeated his offer, but they insisted that their firebending was not what defined them. 

Although, from Wen Qing’s expression, it was clear that it was the idea of him continuing to bloodbend that was off putting to them. The only reason he had made it as far as Wen Ning was that he was unconscious. But they were sages meant to serve the avatar and could see how far he had strayed. Granny and Uncle Four had chastised him, and even Wen Qing, but it was done. 

After three years of leaving his bloodbending behind, his mind had felt clear, and with every peaceful interaction from non benders who hadn’t been involved in the massacre of QiongQi Path and the wars, he felt himself stop flinching and constantly being on the defensive. Wen Qing had listened to all the horror stories he had for her the first year. She had heard of as many stories as Wei WuXian could tell her before he realized the guilt that had overcome her, and it doubled the guilt he felt. 

The memories soothed the second year, then the third they felt like distant nightmares. If it weren’t for the fact that he was unable to contact his past lives, it could have felt like a nightmare.

*********

He and a-Yuan traveled to the mainland to try and sell some fish and buy some supplies on Wen Qing’s orders. It wasn’t their first trip, but a-Yuan always squealed with joy as soon as they hit land. He would always point things out to him, and it made Wei WuXian feel angry and saddened by the knowledge that the boy hadn’t been exposed to normal civilizations because of the situation they were in. He should be as proud of his heritage as any other child, instead they were scraping what little they could find together to come up with something that resembled the foods and traditions. All they had left were spoken words and what could be remembered, but how long would that last? 

The years would keep passing, and they would claim his fellow countrymen with them until a-Yuan would be the last firebender, even if it was only in name. 

He hadn’t shown any signs of possessing bending abilities, but with his parents dead, he didn’t know if it was any fault of Wen Zhuliu, or the course of nature. He also didn’t want to subject a child to bloodbending before he understood what was happening on a hunch… He would wait until he was older. 

Still, at least for now, Wen Yuan was happy with the visits he got to town. He didn’t know or feel like he was missing something and that was enough. Unfortunately, in his excitement, he became impatient and it was several times that Wei WuXian would have to remember to hold his hand to keep him from running off.

Except, in his current heated argument with a vendor, he had released Wen Yuan’s hand. WuXian froze in his haggling with a merchant when he realized he no longer heard or felt tugs from the young boy excitedly pointing out different people, items, and stalls to him. The merchant was quickly forgotten as he swiveled around and began forcing his way through the crowd, looking for the boy as he called out to him. He felt his chest tighten, and considered the best way to use his bending to find the boy (if he could at all!) when he heard a commotion a little bit ahead. He continued to force his way onward until he reached the scene that had gathered so many spectators, and felt his heart stutter in a completely different way. 

Lan WangJi was there, flustered with Wen Yuan clinging to his leg and crying. 

It was the most expressive he had seen him, and it was the exact expression he had always hoped his teasing would get out of the airbender. He couldn’t help but smile partially in amusement and partially in relief that Wen Yuan was safe. 

He committed the expression to memory, then stepped forward and called out to the two. 

Wen Yuan immediately stopped crying and ran to him, while Lan WangJi remained frozen, the only difference was that now his eyes were on Wei WuXian. 

Wei WuXian took an awkward step forward, his smile still on his face. “Hi, Lan Zhan. Thank you for finding a-Yuan for me and keeping him safe,” he teased. 

“The child…” Lan WangJi began, but didn’t seem to know how to continue. 

“He’s mine,” he said, making himself become serious, but only long enough for the shock to overcome Lan WangJi’s features. “Of course not, Lan Zhan! He’s almost five!” Wei WuXian got a pensive look. “I think I  _ was _ with Wen Qing five years ago,” He hummed, but shrugged it off. 

“Then…”

“Huh? No, Wen Qing isn’t Wen Yuan’s mom,” Wei WuXian laughed. 

“What was the purpose of mentioning it, then?” 

Wei WuXian shrugged again, and knew that this was a good point to leave the conversation and Lan WangJi behind, but a part of him— the part that controlled motor function apparently— wanted to stay and speak to Lan WangJi and reminisce. Even memorizing his face a few seconds longer was a more alluring thought than leaving as soon as he had the chance. 

He scanned his face for every detail that might have changed and replaced the old image he had in his head: Lan WangJi that fateful night when their paths had forked and changed directions altogether. 

It didn’t last long; they were blocking the flow of the people, and had to move off to the side. 

“You should have lunch with us Lan Zhan! We can catch up, it’s been so long,” he proposed, equal parts hoping for him to decline and accept. 

Lan WangJi didn’t hesitate, giving a slight nod that made Wei WuXian happier than he could comprehend. He nodded, a smile spreading on his lips as he led the way, keeping Wen Yuan between himself and Lan WangJi, although the boy seemed to heavily favor Wei WuXian, walking so close to him that he kept bumping into his leg. 

“So…” he began “what brings you to these parts?” He asked, doing his best to come off as casual. 

“An issue needs to be settled,” he stated without any more details. 

“Brother! Brother, look!” Wen Yuan cried out in excitement, dragging Wei WuXian to a stall full of toys. 

“They’re pretty!” Wei WuXian said, picking one up and showing it to the child. “Look at this one.” 

After a moment of allowing a-Yuan to play, Wei WuXian took the toy back and returned it to the vendor, continuing on his way to the inn where they were going to dine.

“Wait,” Lan WangJi said, eyebrows drawn together in confusion or concern. “Why would you offer it to him if you were not going to buy it?” He asked, and it was Wei WuXian’s turn to look confused. 

“They’re two different things, Lan Zhan,” he explained, earning a stern look. He pouted in response, not really understanding what he did wrong, and glanced down at Wen Yuan, who was looking more than a little disheartened. Could they spare some money for a toy? He wondered to himself, trying to do the math on what their total spending would be. Suddenly, the boy seemed to perk up, bouncing in place in excitement, the movement tugging at Wei WuXian’s arm and drawing him out of his thoughts. 

When he looked up, Lan WangJi was approaching with several toys. He stooped beside Wen Yuan and held them out for the boy, who first looked up at Wei WuXian, as if asking if it was okay. 

“Lan Zhan really didn’t have to!” 

“Wanted to. You may take them,” he told Wen Yuan, who took them with a shy ‘thank you’ and excitedly looked up at Wei WuXian, holding them up for him to see. 

*********

He quickly warmed up to Lan WangJi after that, sitting closer to him as they ate, and offering some of his own food to him as Wei WuXian grumbled to himself. “How quickly a child’s loyalties shift! I raised you, why do you prefer him?!” 

“No speaking allowed while eating,” Lan WangJi said, eliciting a fit of giggles from the child when Wei WuXian responded with shocked indignation. 

“Lan Zhan we were supposed to catch up over a meal! How can we do that when you won’t even let me speak?” 

“No speaking when eating!” Wen Yuan parroted.

“Look what you’re teaching our son!” He exclaimed, and got a glare in return that felt a little bit like a small victory.

After that, their meal went by mostly quiet, with him grumbling to himself now that neither would even answer him when he spoke. 

************

As they were finishing their meal, a commotion from outside caught their attention, along with several of the other patrons and the staff. 

He and Lan WangJi shared a look before rushing out, with Wei WuXian scooping up Wen Yuan, and Lan WangJi leaving money on the table. 

From the coast, they could see a large, serpentine figure writhe and lunge in the water, and Wei WuXian felt his heart drop. 

He was so  _ stupid _ ! He’d never been gone this long; he should have known better! He could only hope that Wen Ning and Wen Qing could hold it off long enough for him to get back, but how could he even get back safely with a-Yuan? 

“Lan Zhan!” He turned to ask the man if he would watch the boy, but found no one standing beside him anymore. 

It looked like he didn't really have any other choice. He was about to begin running, when a large shadow passed over their heads, and a familiar creature landed just before them. 

“Wei Ying, come!” 

Wei WuXian didn’t hesitate to climb on, and if he were less panicked or worried about the firebenders, he would have marveled at the fact that this was his first time riding BiChen. 

Wen Yuan, for his part, was clinging to him when they first got on, but was now stretching his neck to peer over the edge without leaving the safety of Wei WuXian. As soon as they got closer to their island and the serpent, Wei WuXian instructed Wen Yuan to stay put, and rushed to the front of the saddle. 

“Lan Zhan, take him back to the island and keep him safe!” He instructed, jumping over the edge and into the water. 

Not a second later, he broke the surface again, supported by a vortex of water. The movement quickly caught the attention of the creature that wasted no time in lunging at him. 

It never really did learn its lesson, he thought. In the three years he had lived there with the firebenders, it hadn’t once won, but tenacity could be considered a virtue. 

Wei WuXian sent bursts of flames at it as it did, making it recoil, but only momentarily. He never aimed to kill the creature. News would spread fast, and it was one of their only lines of defense; for the most part, he would only strike to frighten it away or to leave superficial injuries. It eventually left after deciding they were too much trouble.

They continued like that, with Wei WuXian attacking the creature as it dodged and attacked. An attack that struck the creatures eye had it thrashing violently and blindly. And Wei WuXian, drawing closer to keep its body from crashing into their island, didn’t notice the creature's tail that struck and collapsed his column of water. 

He felt himself fall out of the air and down to the water, unable to regain enough control of any element as he fell. He would have to wait to strike water, but by then…

As he landed with a splash, the water around him moved to indicate that the creature gave what he thought would be a final lunge, but was thrown further by another force. He broke the surface again panting and looking around for the creature again. 

“Wei Ying!” He heard, and saw Lan WangJi and BiChen hover beside him as Lan WangJi stretched out his arm for him to take. He gave himself a small boost, and climbed back onto BiChen beside Lan WangJi. 

“That was a lucky shot!” He defended, then spotted the serpent as it rose out of the water again. “Lan Zhan, put us right over it.” 

Lan WangJi nodded, and commanded BiChen to hover just out of the creature's reach. He leaned over the edge, but was grabbed by the wrist by Lan WangJi. 

“Do not re-enter the water,” he commanded, and Wei WuXian was shocked by the hard grip he had on him, as if he were scared Wei WuXian would jump off again. “Are you worried about me, Lan Zhan?” He teased, but Lan WangJi didn’t look away or release him. Wei WuXian gave an awkward laugh and laid his other hand over Lan Wangji’s. “I won’t, but I need both hands to waterbend, Lan Zhan.” 

There was a moment where Wei WuXian didn’t think Lan WangJi would release him, but with a final nod, he did. Wei WuXian began to move his arms in circular motions, slowly at first, then steadily growing faster until he had a set rhythm, and the water beneath the creature began to swirl, but the body of water was large and burdensome to move, and he couldn’t make it fast enough to capture the creature completely.

Until it was, but it wasn’t his doing. 

He glanced behind himself to see Lan WangJi making the same motions, and felt himself give a content laugh. With the force of Lan Wangji’s winds and his own waterbending the whirlpool became larger and faster, sucking in the creature and spinning it round and round. He let it go on for a moment before deciding it was enough.

“That’s it, Lan Zhan,” he said, and they both released their control. At the first sign of having regained its movements, the serpent retreated. 

He let out a cheer, and turned to face Lan WangJi, a bright smile on his face. “That’ll teach it to come that close again,” he said, bumping shoulders with Lan WangJi as he sat back down beside him. “Thank you, Lan Zhan. That was the fastest I’ve ever gotten rid of it.” 

Lan WangJi nodded and led BiChen to their island, and Wei WuXian wondered if he would leave immediately after Wei WuXian got off. Then, he realized he really didn’t want him to. 

“Lan Zhan!” He cried out excitedly, picking up his hand. “Have you ever met a dragon before?” He asked him, voice playful, and eyes mischievous. He saw the intrigue in Lan WangJi’s own and took that as invitation enough to drag him until they had approached Wen Qing and Wen Ning. 

Wen Ning was holding Wen Yuan, who looked more delighted than he should have after an attack like that. “Brother was so strong!” He cried out, and Wei WuXian felt his heart swell with pride. 

“Of course! I’m the almighty avatar, after all,” he said, but was quickly shot down when Wen Yuan’s little hand pointed to Lan WangJi. 

“Not you! Rich brother did all the work!” 

“He did not!” Wei WuXian argued back, his voice a childish whine. 

“He did! I saw!” 

“Then you weren’t watching me, too!”

“I was! You fell and brother saved you,” he responded.

Wei WuXian let his jaw drop at the betrayal, and plucked Wen Yuan from Wen Ning’s arms. “Go play with Granny, the adults are going to talk,” he said, shooing him, but it was a final look at Wen Qing that made him waddle off. 

“You need to raise him better,” he reprimanded Wen Qing, who took a step closer to him. A threat on his life, he knew it, and he reacted accordingly, taking a step behind Lan WangJi. 

“Lan WangJi, these are the two remaining dragons: Wen Qing and Wen Ning. They’re my firebending masters and their style is the closest to that of the first firebenders.”

The three bowed to one another, even if Wen Qing had a disapproving look when she straightened up. “Disregard the foolishness that comes out of his mouth. Thank you for helping us. We have heard a lot about you,” Wen Qing said, her gaze flickering to Wei WuXian for a second, before turning back to Lan WangJi. She did it on purpose! 

He would remember this betrayal. 

“Aha… Lan Zhan, come this way now,” he mumbled, dragging Lan WangJi along behind him. 

He pulled him all the way to his own home before he realized he  _ pulled him _ the whole way. He quickly dropped his hand, but Lan WangJi didn’t seem to mind when he looked back at him. In fact, he looked intrigued by their little island. 

“Wei Ying built all of this?” He asked, no doubt referring to the homes and structures.

“I did! Are you impressed, Lan Zhan? My earthbending has come a long way,” he told him. “Waterbending helps, too. We rely on the fish we catch for money for other supplies. It’s… it’s nothing like Lotus Pier or the other nations, but we’ve settled here, and… it’s good. As long as they’re safe, it’s good. Besides, Uncle Four makes some really good wine, and Granny has great stories about past avatars and the dragons. She used to be a really strong fire bender- ah! Lan Zhan, I’ve stopped bloodbending!” He said, at least knowing that that was something Lan WangJi would be interested in hearing, but he also couldn’t bring himself to see what reaction it had drawn, so he began to pick up scrolls that were scattered around, opening, and inspecting them. “I mean, don’t need to. I wanted to restore their bending, but Wen Qing said… I’ve done enough harm… to myself and others with my bloodbending, and they could manage like this. At least, like this they can’t say we’re a threat; the only firebenders that can still bend are Wen Ning, Wen Qing, and me. 

“But Lan Zhan, look!” He said, handing Lan WangJi a scroll. “I want you to have this.” 

Lan WangJi looked up at him quizzically, but didn’t say a word as he opened it to find a technique inscribed within it with Wei WuXian’s detailed illustrations. “Lan Zhan… and the air nomads don’t fight, but… I thought if there’s someone posing a threat and a lot of people, it would be hard to defend. Wen Qing taught me and I thought it would be a good technique for the airbenders. It blocks the flow of chi. It can stop bending temporarily and incapacitate an opponent without hurting them.”

When Lan WangJi’s eyes met Wei WuXian’s, he felt himself become nervous. “It’s okay if you don’t want to. I get it might be difficult to explain where you got such a technique, especially after I used it on Jin ZiXun in front of everyone, but I really wanted Lan Zhan to have it because… ah, Lan Zhan the last time really felt like the last time, and I didn’t think I would get to thank you.” 

When the silence continued to stretch on, Wei WuXian pressed more scrolls into Lan WangJi’s arms. “If Lan Zhan won’t take it as a present, then he has to take it as a thank you,” he said with a bow. “From the Fire Nation for everything he has done.” 

“Thank you,” Lan WangJi responded after a long pause, drawing a laugh from Wei WuXian. 

“Lan Zhan is too polite; how can he say thank you to a thank you? Come, I want you to meet everyone,” he said, and dragged him back out to meet the other firebenders. Each expressed their gratitude, praise, and offered him gifts, and Wei WuXian could only stand to the side and laugh in delight at how flustered Lan WangJi got from all the elders trying to offer him this and that. 

But his fun ended when a-Yuan had found his way back, and latched onto Lan WangJi again. 

“Brother, won’t you stay for dinner?” A-Yuan asked, jumping excitedly as he tugged on Lan WangJi’s sleeve. “Stay for dinner! Stay for dinner!” He chanted, until Wei WuXian picked him up, realizing how temporary this feeling was.

“A-Yuan, your big brother here is an airbender. They’re very important people; they settle problems all over the world and help anyone who needs it, even spirits. Big brother came down from the Cloud Recesses for something important, and this big brother is the best of all of them,” he said, smiling up at Lan WangJi. “He’s the fairest, kindest, and wisest, and also the strongest, so a lot of people need him. We shouldn’t interrupt him, okay?” He told Wen Yuan. The boy pouted a bit, but seemed to understand and nodded sadly. 

“But big brother will come again?” He asked, looking up at Lan WangJi when he asked the question. 

“Big brother is so busy, don’t make him worry about visiting us, too, a-Yuan.” 

The boy’s lower lip trembled as he looked between them and Wei WuXian could feel the same sorrow within himself. But, he was an adult! He had to set an example for Wen Yuan, he couldn’t just burst into tears here. He put on a brave face and gave Lan WangJi the closest thing to a smile he could pull at the moment, but couldn’t help resting a hand on his shoulder. 

“Thank you, for everything, HanGuang-Jun. We’ll be okay here now because of you.” 

He thought he heard Lan WangJi take in a shaky breath as he closed his eyes and lowered his head a bit, but nodded. It might have been wishful thinking, but it felt like the first step Lan WangJi took away from them was as hard for him as it was for Wei WuXian to release him. 

It only took a few steps for Wen Yuan to begin to sniffle. 

********

It was a mess. Everything was such a mess. How did it happen like this?

Everyone was dead. He was so  _ stupid _ . It had all been a trap. What was he supposed to do? What else could he have done against this many soldiers? At that point how could he have distinguished Jin ZiXuan running at him to stop him from anyone else trying to harm him? But that… it didn’t matter now. Now, he had to hope and pray that he was the only target, but of course he wasn’t that lucky. 

The firebenders were dead, their little island was a mess of jagged earth and strewn bodies. 

Bodies of only the firebenders lay on the ragged, scarred earth. Their attackers still had families left to return the bodies to and that could give them proper burials. Even in the death, where they all returned to the ground, injustice still prevailed when one side was able to be put there with adornments and ceremony, he thought bitterly.

_ “My sister had a son! They were talking about it in town, I’m an uncle!” He cried out in excitement before his smile began to fade. After everything he had done to the Jin family... _

They couldn’t even defend themselves. 

_ “Will you be okay if I go?” He asked, bursting with excitement at seeing his sister again and meeting his nephew, but feeling guilt and fear build up within him.  _

_ “Of course we will be! Who do you take your firebending master for?” Wen Qing snapped, and he knew the defensive attitude was to make sure he knew that if he stayed she would consider it him underestimating her ability. “Your sister wants to see you, you shouldn’t disappoint her. Besides, the serpent’s favorite snack is boats that stray too deep and I’ll have a-Ning.”  _

Wen Ning and Wen Qing were the only ones who could have hoped to fight back.

They were the only ones with any bending, didn’t they notice?

How must they have felt, defending their nation and their people, a peaceful group of sages, knowing they were only two people, but with everything on the line if they gave in?

Wei WuXian’s eyes were red from the tears that stung his eyes as they tried to escape, but he didn’t cry. He moved through the bodies, his mind registering their identities as he saw the faces of the few that were still recognizable. And he walked through their remains and forced himself to look at each one as his own personal punishment; as a reminder and emphasis of his own failure. He never found the body of a child, and hoped Wen Qing had seen them coming. He hoped she had found a way to send him back to the mainland through a sea of enemies, but he didn’t want an answer. He couldn’t stomach another dead innocent— but every part of his being screamed and starved for the blood of those responsible. 

He raised their little island high above the water and set it alight. He wanted it to burn until there was nothing left to consume-until there was nothing left for them to tarnish or spit on or curse. And he wanted every nation to see the smoke and know what was to come. 

*********

They made it so easy. 

The earthbenders and waterbenders that took part in the ambush had simply gathered themselves. They had declared the end to his reign of bloodshed. They hyped themselves up saying things that made it seem as if he were the last evil in the world to be defeated. 

How could they act so righteous after the slaughter of a people trying to live in peace? 

After a few more speeches and declarations, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer and approached the scene, his footsteps like the thunder that hushed the world the second after it struck because what else could be so loud? 

“You… have completely wiped out the firebenders from this world.” He told them, no,  _ reminded  _ them, and there was no more of that chatter and pride. There was no more of that hubris that plagued the men and had once infested him. There were only his footsteps as he drew closer and the others stood stiff. “The only way for me to restore balance once more… is for me to wipe out all other benders as well.” 

There was a stillness in the air, almost as if someone moved, if someone breathed, Wei WuXian’s words would become a reality, but it didn’t take a single breath before Wei WuXian had killed ten benders closest to him, brutally ripping out whatever water was in their bodies, leaving them shriveled and sunken on the floor. 

Chaos erupted at that, with Wei WuXian showing no signs of hesitation as he positioned benders in front of opposing attacks against himself while retaliating on his own, but it felt as if, after years of repressing the effects of bloodbending, once he had started again, the dam had burst and had come back tenfold.

It was painful.

It was disorienting, and whether he wanted to or not, he felt for movement and simply killed whatever moved. He couldn’t distinguish between people, screams, and memories. He was on autopilot, fighting for his own survival in the middle of a mess he had instigated with no way out, but it felt like the painful thoughts had gotten to be too much, and he just wanted them gone. 

It was a single instance where he forgot where he was, or was too overwhelmed to remember when he stopped attacking, and in the fraction of a moment where he remembered and opened his eyes, his sister was bleeding in front of him. 

She remained where she was, impaled and spitting up blood on an attack that no doubt was meant for him, and when she turned her head with what little energy she had left to face him, it didn’t feel like an accusation. It didn’t hold any malice or hatred. It held all the devotion and love she had ever held for him despite everything, and it made him feel a thousand times worse. If only she could hate him for everything he had done. If only such a kind person didn’t have to die.

_ How did it all fall apart? _

Wei WuXian heard the way a sudden lie spread like wildfire. “The avatar bloodbended his own sister's body in front of him to block the attack!”

And the sound was vicious.

The words rose above the screams he had grown accustomed to hearing, and the anger rose above all. He saw as the other benders stepped back in fear. If he had done that to his sister, then he was more dangerous and unhinged than they had thought. He could see as they all waited for him to enter the avatar state, unaware of what he had sacrificed. 

**********

Lan WangJi didn’t know if it was that Wei WuXian had suddenly lost the will to live, or that he was too shocked to protect himself or fight back. All that was clear was that he did stop fighting, and stood, surrounded by benders who waited dumbly for a response; to see what the avatar’s wrath would bring them, and unwilling to push their luck by striking first. So, there stood, for a single moment where time did not move, a man dressed in black surrounded by yellows, greens, and blues. 

“Wei Ying!” He could hear himself crying out as he ran towards the man. The air, once a well-known friend, had never felt more like his enemy than when it slowed his movements, pushing back as if to keep him away. 

When Wei WuXian looked up, his red eyes seemed to look past him. And there, that miniscule, insignificant unextraordinary movement was what unleashed an attack. And there, as Lan WangJi continued to run, in the seconds before the attack struck, he felt something rush past him, and saw as a spirit swept Wei WuXian from right under their noses, as the others remained completely oblivious. 

Then the attack came, and when it ended there wasn’t a trace of the avatar. Not a scrap of fabric, or even a single strand of hair. 

It was the end of his tyranny, they declared, yet Wei WuXian had never claimed to rule or impose an authority. He had always walked beside someone, never ahead. He had walked beside them in the Indoctrination Camp. He had walked beside the airbenders when the comet was coming, then the waterbenders when Lotus Pier was being restored, and fatally, the Wens. 

He had been by each nation’s side in their moment of need, yet all they could remember was when he was not on theirs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really sad about having to kill characters 🥺. I’ve never had to do it and I don’t like it 💔. But I think I already set everything so that they would have to die… Except one. I’m not sure if I should or shouldn’t kill them, I still haven’t decided. Anyway! That wraps up the flashback! Next chapter we're back to the present, which means I have to get back to planning how this is gonna go... I mostly have it figured out! Thanks for reading and commenting and kudos!   
> If this update seems weirdly fast it's because 1) the semester ended and 2) I started two new fanfics and if I don't stay on top of all of them I'm either going to leave one behind, and I don't wanna give one preference so I won't update one without updating the others too! So, if anyone reads either of those, an update is coming very soon, too!


	12. Revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHA! Step aside mdzs main plot, it’s my turn to play! I’m boutta fuck shit up, whether it be in a good way or a bad way. I say before the plot comes back and stomps on me like I’m the I in pixar. 

Wei WuXian looked down into the murky water of the swamp and stared at his reflection.  _ The avatar _ , his mind viciously supplied. Tear streaked red cheeks and eyes. He couldn’t even save his own sister, but…

He had a second chance now. Lan WangJi had given him a second chance, and if he couldn’t save his sister, he could protect her son. The world was further out of balance than when he had left, with the Earth Kingdom dominating everyone, but he could try to restore it. 

At the sound of a scream, he jumped to his feet and ran deeper into the swamp. Whether it was another hallucination or not, he wasn’t going to let Jin Ling get hurt. Yet, when he felt he had finally reached the source, he found himself at the center of the swamp, a wide trunk situated in the middle. 

He scoffed, and was about to run back into the swamp to look for his nephew when he felt like something was reaching out to him. He turned, and felt himself more and more drawn to the tree trunk. It was a warm presence that seemed to pulse like a heartbeat, like the first time he had held a flame in his hands. It was alive, of course it was, but this felt like life itself. He reached out, and placed a hand on the trunk, and closed his eyes, focusing on what he felt beneath his hands, and gasping when he felt it echo back much more than he could ever hope.

It felt like he was projecting through the four nations at an accelerated speed that he didn’t think he could control until it suddenly stopped on a figure limping through a forest path, looking over his shoulder every few seconds. 

“ _ Wen Ning _ ,” Wei WuXian mumbled in disbelief, eyes still closed as he focused his energy on the tree and tried to see more. 

His vision showed Wen Ning stumbling down a dirt road of a place he recognized on the border JiangNan and LanLing. He tried to recognize the path he walked, but his vision became distorted as he tried to push it further and he was suddenly in the middle of the swamp, a dense fog swallowing up even the sounds of the creatures. He looked all around himself trying to spot the cause, but couldn’t see a thing.

“Always humans for the past decade trying to destroy my home,” a voice echoed around him. 

“I’m not trying to destroy your-“

“Invade, then? Tainted black and red like the colors you wear until the swamp dries, the sun burns, and the earth cracks and distorts. I’ve kept enough of you out, but you keep coming back. There truly can be no peace between spirits and men without the avatar,” the spirit commented.

“I am the avatar, and I’m back!” Wei WuXian reassured it. He wanted to take a step towards the spirit that had spoken, but couldn't figure out what direction the voice came from. “I can promise to keep this place safe, and let it remain your home. Return the people you have taken, and I’ll give you my word that the earthbenders that had tried to attack will stay away.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?” 

Wei WuXian faltered at the question. The townspeople had tried to stop the Earth Kingdom to no avail. They were too afraid of the Dai Li, and wouldn’t stand up on their own. He also couldn’t stay here all his life and make sure that no one harmed the spirit’s home; he still needed to go back with Lan Zhan and finally master airbending. 

How  _ could _ he keep his word? He knew, in part, the role would rest on the villagers, but how could he ensure that the earthbenders wouldn’t come back with more men to subdue the monster Wei WuXian created? 

“The boys in the swamp with me! The children, they are of important lineage, and they have all witnessed and spoken for your home today. The man that came with me knew nothing of the abuse against you and your home, and he is brother of the leader of the airbenders of Cloud Recesses, and one of the boys is nephew of the leader! The earthbender is nephew of both the leaders of the earthbenders of Koi Tower and the waterbenders of Lotus Pier. The airbenders hold great regard for spirits, and won’t let this stand, and once the three leaders hear of the unrest, I’m sure they’ll cease their efforts!”

The spirit was silent a moment, as if considering his words, and Wei WuXian really hoped it got through to him. He didn’t think he had any other solution, and he was sure that the four teens had a good heart. If nothing else, when the others found out about his return, they wouldn’t be able to act so recklessly. When he was ready again--when he felt he could protect those closest to him-- he would draw the attention of the Dai Li and the Earth Kingdom completely to himself. How could they remain in the other nations after they had found the avatar? 

“You put a lot of trust in the sway of children,” it prodded. 

“If they stand together, they can quake instead of sway,” Wei WuXian responded. 

“The same could have been said about you, avatar.”

Wei WuXian shifted a step back at the bluntness, but quickly regained himself. If he had someone to stand with him then… maybe he could have, but he had someone now. Someone who had been willing to search for him over a decade later and drag him back and who stood by him and believed in him now. As well as Lan WangJi, Wen Ning was alive, and he was going to get him back. 

“I have someone to stand with me now,” he responded. 

“He searched for you here. Back then… or maybe some time from now. I could see him, all through the spirit world searching for the avatar... You have someone with you now, and balance can still be restored... Very well, I wish you well, avatar,” the spirit said, and the fog soon dispersed. He could feel the bark beneath his hands and the sun beating against his black clothes with fervor once again. 

“Wei Ying!” He heard Lan Zhan call him, and couldn’t help but smile as he opened his eyes.

_ He found him again _ .

He saw Lan WangJi’s steps falter, but he didn’t stop moving towards him. From beside Wei WuXian, people began to emerge, as if out of thin air, including Jin Ling, disoriented, but hopeful. 

Lan SiZhui was the first to approach him. “Master, are you alright?” He asked him.

“How-?” 

“Master WuXian has settled the spirit,” Lan SiZhui smiled. 

“How could that swamp dwelling-“ Jin Ling stopped abruptly, ducking his head and Wei WuXian turned to see Lan WangJi giving him a frosty glare. 

Wei WuXian laughed, and skipped his way over, tugging on Lan WangJi’s sleeve. “Second Master Lan, don’t forget your teachings over the insults of a child,” he teased him, quietly. 

Lan WangJi turned his attention to him, then turned to begin leading the now larger group of people out of the swamp. The two air nomads made up the rear, while their master led the group, and all the other scattered in between. Wei WuXian stayed a little ways behind, feeling himself swell with pride as the villagers thanked and praised Lan WangJi for saving them, and laughing it off and saying Lan WangJi was just being modest when he tried to turn their attention to him. 

The villagers left after a dozen ‘thank you’s’ each, enough for him, Lan WangJi, and the boys. 

Lan WangJi, Lan SiZhui, and Lan JingYi stood off to the side a moment, talking, but Wei WuXian’s attention was focused on Jin Ling. He didn’t want to leave off on the wrong foot, and he didn’t know if he would see the boy again in such neutral circumstances with an opinion he could form himself, and so he decided to approach him. 

“Jin Ling!” Wei WuXian called out to him. The boy turned to Wei WuXian, but looked at him with distaste as he approached. “I have advice for you, too,” he said with a wink. His words drew the attention of the OuYang ZiZhen, who also stopped so that the small group of teens who had first been there had once again gathered as SiZhui and JingYi wandered over to hear his advice. Seeing that the three were no longer occupied, he began to walk, leading the crowd. “Stay fluid until the moment to attack, or you’ll be a sitting turtle duck in a real fight. The great master Nie MingJue teaches that attention to your opponent’s movement and foreseeing attacks makes a good bender, but when you pay attention to your own, properly react, and are disciplined enough to switch in and out of a strong stance, you can be a great bender. Don’t forget you come from powerful waterbenders, too. You may not be one, but that doesn’t mean you can’t represent that side of you.” 

“Why do you speak of Nie MingJue as if he were still alive?” OuYang ZiZhen asked, catching Wei WuXian off guard. 

He quickly turned to Lan WangJi, who gave him a light shake of his head, indicating that his master was indeed dead. It was a blow that had rendered him speechless, and he found that he had stopped walking and only stared at the ground before him. 

Nie MingJue was young! He was a powerful bender who survived the Fire Nation, and ensured his city did, too. How could this have happened? “When?” He asked, looking between Lan WangJi and the group of boys. “When did he die? How did he die?” 

“Master WuXian, it’s not truly known that he’s dead,” Lan SiZhui tried to soothe. “Master MingJue went missing seven years ago. His brother, Nie HuaiSang, rules the Unclean Realm now, with the assistance of the Dai Li and Jin GuangYao.” 

Lan JingYi scoffed. “He’s a puppet king,” he grumbled under his breath, earning a glare from Jin Ling. The group continued onward, with Wei WuXian falling a little further back. 

Sure, they hadn’t ended things all too well, but before Wei WuXian had killed a few of his earthbenders, Nie MingJue had been one of the people that was leaning heavily in favor of his efforts to preserve the remaining firebenders.

Even when Jiang Cheng and Lan WangJi couldn’t be vocal without fear of retribution, his master openly defended him and Wen Qing until he didn’t believe in his innocence. If the next avatar was an earthbender of the Unclean Realm in Nie MingJue’s life, Wei WuXian knew he could have gone in peace. 

“Master WuXian,” he heard a small voice say, and looked up to see Lan SiZhui beside him. “Are you alright? Did you know Nie MingJue?” He asked him. 

Wei WuXian gave him a small smile. “Yeah. Everyone dies, I suppose,” he said, picking up his relaxed facade. “I've been away from the world so long, I shouldn’t have been surprised. But!” He said, leaning close to Lan SiZhui. “The greatest surprise is that Lan Zhan has a son! You’re not an airbender, are you?” 

Lan SiZhui became flustered under the attention. “I’m not a bender at all. HanGuang-Jun has taught me chi blocking, and I know all about the spiritual aspects of airbending, but I am not an airbender.” 

“Chi blocking!” Wei WuXian cried out with a smile. Wen Qing’s knowledge had been preserved! “Show me what you can do!” He got into a stance, but Lan SiZhui hesitated, looking between Wei WuXian and HanGuang-Jun. 

“There is no harm. Wei Ying knows more of that technique than I. You could learn from him.” 

Lan SiZhui nodded, and proceeded to spar with Wei WuXian. The longer they fought, the more Wei WuXian recalled why he had admired Lan WangJi so much. 

Eventually, he jumped back and raised his hands in surrender. “Any opponent who would not know what pressure points to guard would have surely fallen in an instant. HanGuang-Jun’s son is as impressive as his father,” he praised the two. 

Lan WangJi nodded, and continued to move forward, leaving Lan SiZhui blushing from both of their unique praises. 

Wei WuXian laughed. “Would you happen to know where you were from originally? Maybe you have some bending abilities you haven’t explored! I could teach you, you know. I know all about all types of bending,” he bragged. Maybe a little too boldly. As he continued to talk, the young benders slowly began falling behind again until they were either right beside him or just in front like Jin Ling, with Lan WangJi now at the head of their group. “That’s what makes a good bender, you know? The elements aren’t as divided as we are made to think. Even time is an illusion we have created!” He said, recalling the spirit’s unfamiliarity with sequences. He continued to speak with the young benders, giving them tips and lessons and stories of the first teachers. When he came upon the topic of dragons and their firebending, Jin Ling finally spoke up, having given up on pretending that he wasn’t listening in. “My uncle says the fire nation killed the last of the dragons decades ago under Wen RuoHan. He says long before then firebending had been corrupted, and that’s why the firebenders were killed. Like the avatar, they tainted a once sacred thing.”

“Your uncle’s wrong,” Wei WuXian said, earning a glance from Lan WangJi. “Only ten years ago there still existed two dragons. You were alive at the same time they were. They were powerful benders, and they understood that fire was life and energy.”

“What happened to them?” OuYang ZiZhen asked. 

“Of course the Fire Nation killed them,” Jin Ling scoffed. 

“They didn’t. Wen RuoHan’s fire nation fell years before they did,” he told them. 

“Then… who killed them.” 

“The avatar did,” he said, smiling ruefully down at the ground.

“He did not,” Lan WangJi said, snapping his attention back up. “The avatar protected them as long as he could.” This made a sad smile form on Wei WuXian’s lips. 

“But… HanGuang-Jun…” OuYang Zizhen said, looking nervous. “Then who killed them?”

“Ah… I was only exaggerating. The avatar is only one person after all. You shouldn’t believe everything. They died because it was the natural order of the world at that time.” 

“That doesn’t even make sense! How can they die just because?! I think you’re making this story about there still being dragons up so that you can pretend you know all about bending.” 

“Ah! You caught me. Even after I asked HanGuang-Jun to play along. No, the dragons as you know them have been gone for half a century.” He began walking again, leaving the young benders and Lan WangJi behind him as they stared after him. 

He had never felt as if he had properly mourned Wen Qing’s death. It was a great loss to the world, and he had turned it into further destruction. In his clarity, he could only regret what he had done and what he failed to do. His mind puzzled and pondered, wondering how things could have changed or gone differently if he had changed a detail. Still, how long could the fire nation have survived? How many years would they have had to endure threats before they were no longer seen as a threat?

Lan WangJi and the others never reached him, and Wei WuXian knew they were giving him space, most likely at Lan WangJi’s instruction.

**********

Once they had reached the end of the swamp, the boys bowed to him and thanked him for his knowledge, with the exception of Jin Ling, then bowed to Lan WangJi out of respect. 

As they walked away, Wei WuXian heard Lan SiZhui offer to take the two other boys to the Three Nations’ conference, and heard Jin Ling respond nonchalantly and draw Lan JingYi’s sharp tongue. However, at this distance, he could no longer hear what was said as they began to argue. He watched them for a moment and hoped this was the beginning of a friendship worth something, but also couldn’t help but feel that a color was missing within their group that shouldn’t have been. 

“Wei Ying?” He heard Lan WangJi address him, just at his side. 

“A-ah, it’s nothing, Lan Zhan. We should get going.” 

**********

“Will your uncle really let me into the Cloud Recesses? I know you have remained loyal to the avatar through all this because of your grandmother, but Master QiRen has hated me long before I caused all this trouble,” Wei WuXian said from his spot lounging in BiChen’s saddle. He was still trying to think of how he should broach the topic of Wen Ning. 

He didn’t know why he was so scared to do it. He supposed bad memories overshadowed the good ones, and he still felt as if the memory that stood out the most in his mind was Lan WangJi coming to stop him when he had first saved the firebenders, but that wasn’t fair to him. Lan WangJi had let them through, and the only actual issue he seemed to have was with Wei WuXian’s bloodbending. In fact, he had saved the firebenders alongside him. No, if there was truly any good, just person, it was Lan WangJi. He smiled to himself remembering his excitement when Lan WangJi and his brother had arrived in the Unclean Realm while he was learning to earthbend, and the joy he always took in confiding in him, then remembered the dread he felt thereafter. If he had learned to fear someone like Lan WangJi, then his place was no doubt one that was truly wrong. 

“Always causing trouble,” he heard Lan WangJi respond, startling a laugh out of him, bringing him back to the present. 

“Was that a  _ joke _ ? Lan Zhan! Did you just tell a joke?” Wei WuXian asked, climbing out of the saddle, and moving to sit beside Lan WangJi. “What has changed so much that the jade statue Lan Zhan jokes?” 

Lan WangJi didn’t answer, but Wei WuXian didn’t mind. It was almost as if Lan WangJi had read his mind and had waved off the thoughts that would soon torment him. The trouble he caused was just as easily forgiven in Lan WangJi’s eyes. Then, the world, as if giving him another reminder, set before him the spot where he had most intimately confided in Lan WangJi. 

“Lan Zhan! Move down! Lower!” He said with glee. When they were low enough to confirm his suspicions he let out a laugh. 

“Look, Lan Zhan! It’s where we first kissed!” He teased, hoping to relive the times before the war and try to dissolve whatever image Lan WangJi might have been left with after he had disappeared. 

He saw Lan WangJi’s ears turn pink, and his grip in the reins tighten. 

“Lan Zhan, I have a secret,” he said, with a mischievous smile, despite the pounding in his chest. Would Lan WangJi abandon him after he found out? “Lan Zhan was surprisingly such a good kisser I couldn’t think of anyone else! I lied when I said I thought of someone else, Lan Zhan took my first kiss!” He said, feigning disappointment. “And right after I had told him to pretend to kiss someone else. It broke my heart, my first kiss wasn’t even dedicated to me,” he sighed. 

Lan WangJi was currently staring at him in shock, and it made Wei WuXian want to tease him more. “Lan Zhan, now you  _ have  _ to tell me who you thought of when you kissed me. It’s not fair if I told you and you don’t tell me!” 

“Wei Ying.”

“Lan Zhaaan!” He whined, “You have to tell me! It’s a rule and I know you can’t break rules,” he said with an involuntary giggle, breaking his facade. 

“I thought of Wei Ying.” 

Wei WuXian froze, but quickly recollected himself, pouting at the man. “You can’t just say that because I made you feel bad by telling you it was my first kiss. I really wanna know!” 

Before he could start whining again, he felt the familiar feeling of lips pressing against his own that he had held onto for years. They moved against his as they had back then, and deepened past what he had remembered the kiss lasted. Still, despite his shock and confusion, Wei WuXian kissed back, wrapping his arms around Lan WangJi’s shoulders and pulling the man closer. 

“For Wei Ying. All for Wei Ying,” Lan WangJi mumbled when they finally separated, lips a hair’s breadth away from his own. 

“O-oh,” Wei WuXian responded, dazed. He felt himself go red and pulled away, feeling an awkward tension begin to form. 

Normally, Wei WuXian would have disrupted it, but at the moment he felt as if his brain were trying to solve a puzzle; as if it were trying to put together two pieces that didn’t, or  _ shouldn’t, _ fit. Lan WangJi had kissed him! And just as unexpectedly, he had kissed back! Did that mean he liked him? Or even loved him? He felt his heart skip a beat before another thought dampened his mood. When had loving or even liking Wei WuXian ever done anyone any good? If anything, everyone who cared for him was cursed. His parents, Uncle Jiang, Madame Yu, his ShiJie, Nie MingJue, the firebenders… Jiang Cheng had barely managed to save himself, and with his newfound hatred, he would live a long and healthy life. 

“Wei Ying,” Lan WangJi began, his brows drawing together in concern or something else. Whatever it was, he looked ready to apologize, and Wei WuXian couldn’t accept an apology from him. It would feel too terrible to be the reason Lan WangJi thought he had to apologize.

“No! Lan Zhan, you didn’t do anything wrong. It was my fault for teasing you,” he waved him off. “I… it was nicer back then, even in the terrible situation we were in,” he mumbled. “If I could go back… I’d just mess something else up,” he said, forcing out a laugh that jostled the tears he didn’t know had formed from his face. 

He quickly looked away, hoping Lan WangJi hadn’t seen them, but of course, with his terrible luck, he had. 

“Wei Ying…” he heard him say, and hated that he couldn’t play dumb and act like he didn’t know the question that tone asked. He remained where he was, instead of fleeing to the saddle, and looked down at his hands. 

Lan WangJi waited patiently for him to speak, and Wei WuXian could say with absolute certainty that he wouldn’t interrupt or pressure him. 

“I saw my ShiJie in the swamp,” he finally said, barely above a whisper. “I’ve done so many things that have hurt so many of the people I loved, but what happened to shijie hurt the most. She was always by my side, even after I ruined her engagement, even after I made the fire nation direct their entire army to Lotus Pier, she stood by my side with a smile on her face. She saw as I hurt and tortured, yet never once left my side, and it got her killed. You should go too, Lan Zhan. You’re the only person I have left, and I don’t know that I could take losing anyone else. I saw Wen Ning in my vision, too. I can just… meet up with him. We’re both in the same category in the eyes of all the nations. I don’t want to drag your name through the mud, Lan Zhan.” 

“Where?” Was all Lan WangJi said. 

“What?”

“Where did you see Wen QiongLin?” 

“A-along the Jin border between LanLing and JiangNan,” he responded, wondering if Lan WangJi was going to drop him off with Wen Ning. In fact, now that he considered it, he couldn’t be sure if what he saw was something that was happening currently, or something that  _ had  _ happened. If Wen Ning was no longer alive… What did he have left to restore balance? Surely it was Wen Ning. Who else could have survived? 

He held onto the man as he turned BiChen around sharply and urged the bison onward faster than they had been going before. He may love BiChen with all his heart, but as a water, earth, and firebender, currently none of those were saving him from going splat on the ground beneath him if he fell off. The longer they searched, the more he began to fear that his vision had been a memory. How could Wen Ning have survived, anyway? Wei WuXian had burnt the place to the ground, and had searched the corpses before he had. Surviving at all would have meant he had been off the island at the time of the attack, and whether he was or wasn’t, his face was one the Dai Li at least would have recognized. 

Despite his pessimism, Lan WangJi seemed to hold hope, or at least believe there was a chance he had survived. Soon, they saw a lone figure trudging down a small path through the woods, and quickly descended. In what must have been panic, Wen Ning attacked them, but it was disrupted by Lan WangJi, who jumped off the bison with all the refined grace of an airbending master Wei WuXian had yet to even approach. 

He clambered off the bison as soon as it had touched the ground, and ran to Lan WangJi and Wen Ning, the latter of which had the former in a desperate grasp. His eyes seemed desperate, scared, and maybe even hopeful. 

“-is a-Yuan?” 

Wei WuXian froze mid run when he heard the name, looking between the two. “Wen Ning?” 

“Avatar WuXian,” Wen Ning gasped out, releasing Lan WangJi and stumbling over to him. 

Wei WuXian steadied him, concern overcoming his features as he looked over his old friend. He was thinner, much paler, and looked absolutely exhausted, covered in injuries. “What happened to you? How are you alive? Is Wen Qing also-” Wen Ning shook his head, and suddenly became quiet. 

“Lan Zhan, did you know he was alive?” He asked, unable to keep the betrayal out of his voice. He at least thought he was alive more than Wei Ying initially had, and he knew that wasn’t without reason. They had been speaking just then, when he had arrived. They had hardly even spoken the last time he knew them to have been in each other’s company! He looked down at Wen Ning, who was just beginning to open his mouth to speak when Lan WangJi did. 

“I did not. The last I saw Wen QiongLin was when the firebenders were attacked, in YiLing. He… he had handed me a-Yuan.” 

Wei WuXian looked between the two in shock, releasing Wen Ning and stepping closer to Lan WangJi. 

“But this you did keep from me? Is he alive? Or can I at least consider your silence over the matter an attempt at a small mercy?” He asked him. There was a pause as Lan WangJi looked away, but eventually nodded. “Was he the boy I met, Lan Zhan? Was he your son?” 

Again, Lan WangJi nodded. “ _ Why _ didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t-?”

“When could I have told you?” Lan WangJi responded abruptly, startling Wei WuXian. 

“Avatar WuXian, it was not safe to reveal a-Yuan’s identity where others might hear!” Wen Ning defended. Wei WuXian went quiet for a moment, and remembered the comment the two men had made.  _ The Dai Li are everywhere. _

“How did he survive?”

“It no longer matters. We must return to the Cloud Recesses to begin your training,” Lan WangJi tried to brush off, moving past them, with Wen Ning following behind him, head ducked. 

“Lan Zhan! How can I trust you to help me when you always give me half truths!?” He yelled after him, immediately being overcome with guilt. Lan WangJi had searched for him for  _ ten years _ and had cared for him for even longer. And when Lan WangJi regarded him with a look of hurt, Wei WuXian thought he might have been the worst person alive. 

He paused, turning his gaze to the ground, then shutting his eyes. It looked as if the words pained him as they made their way to his lips. “I had a message to give to the firebenders, and was on my way to your island. Wei Ying… the Cloud Recesses had sent me to offer sanctuary to the fire benders the same day they were killed.”

_ The same day you had left them to fend for themselves _ he might as well have said. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! It was the kissing scene that stumped me. I was like do I keep it or push it back? What makes this different from canon in a way that would allow the romance to progress this quickly? And at first I was like, well nothing really, but looking back on it after being away from it for so long, I decided that a lot of things did! For example, I think allowing a kiss so early on, especially when both actively participated and were aware of who they were kissing would clear a few obstacles. Aaand through the flashbacks I tried to ensure that wwx was shown as actively conscious of lwj in everything, or nearly everything, he did. Wwx is also aware in this story that lwj was looking for him, and never stopped. Not only that, but that he doesn’t mean to punish him. Finally is the admission of wwx and his thoughts when they had kissed which would reassure lwj that maybe his emotions were not unrequited. Of course, progressed doesn’t mean completely unraveled… but that’s a problem for the next chapters! They’ll make it work eventually! Sorry about the wait! I hope the first chapter back in the present wasn't disappointing 😣 I'll try to work on the next chapter so I can update faster! Also! Also! If you see any continuity errors please let me know! I'm doing my best to try and keep things consistent, but I think y'all are reading it much more continuously than I am. I kinda just read the chapters I gotta to write something in the next one.... Although... when I do read it I kinda just read it for the story... I liked his time in the Unclean Realm the best...


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